Safari 4 released today, offering 'unparalled speed'

Among the torrent of news is the announcement that Safari 4 ships today, boasting "unparalleled speed," especially when compared to IE8 (this is Apple talking, not us). Included in the new browser is a full history search, featuring a cover flow view of the user's browsing history (as well as a full spotlight search). And it looks like they've thought a lot about the browser when building the new OS -- In Snow Leopard, Safari runs as a 64-bit application, "boosting performance by up to 50 percent." Also in SL, Safari plug-ins run as separate processes. When a plug-in crashes, the browser remains intact, meaning you can just reload the page, not the browser itself. Available today (as in, right now) for Leopard, Tiger, and -- of course -- Windows.

Gallery: Safari 4 press shots

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[Love iPhones @ Jun 8th 2009 1:55PM]

Good stuff.

Going to download now...

[DR House @ Jun 8th 2009 1:59PM]

If safari was any good mac users wouldn't switch to Firefox, hopefully apple who mess up safari 4

[DR House @ Jun 8th 2009 1:59PM]

Wont*

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Jun 8th 2009 2:00PM]

Actually I love Safari on the Mac. I never use Firefox on OS X. I *do* use Firefox almost exclusively in Windows, though I find the occasional site where I need IE and Firefox doesn't work. Amusingly, in OS X, I never find sites that don't work in Safari.

And no, I've never tried Safari in Windows, and don't plan to.

[Ernesttechuser @ Jun 8th 2009 2:08PM]

Practically everyone I know who has a Mac uses Firefox or Opera.

While I have little difficulty finding Apple's claim that Safari is better / faster than IE8, I have my doubts about Firefox or Opera. The Opera 10 beta is ******* brilliant.

[Ernesttechuser @ Jun 8th 2009 2:10PM]

**than IE8 credible

[Latin_Trident @ Jun 8th 2009 2:57PM]

I don't use either Safari or IE8. I just love sticking with Firefox!

[---- @ Jun 8th 2009 4:03PM]

its funny to read all these apple haters and their weak arguments ...

just sit back and laugh your ass off l

[---- @ Jun 8th 2009 4:05PM]

""If safari was any good mac users wouldn't switch to Firefox""

we dont .. firefox is for people who cant stand Internet explorer

[ben @ Jun 8th 2009 4:22PM]

Firefox is meh on OS X. Things like not supporting keychain. Locking your keychain will lock all of your saved passwords in safari, but not if you use firefox.

I didn't use safari 3, but I've been using safari 4 beta and I definitely prefer it to firefox. Mostly because they stole a bunch of shit from chrome.

[Spartan_458 @ Jun 8th 2009 4:25PM]

Firefox is for people who want a great internet browser that runs faster than IE, is nearly as compatible, and way more customizable than any browser out there. Safari is more niche right now. I'm not knocking it, I just wouldn't give up Firefox with my add-ons for something that is probably only marginally faster and a bit prettier. I'll take function over form and wait for FF 3.5.

[semaj @ Jun 8th 2009 1:55PM]

wait, you mean things can crash on a mac?

[Chuckles McGee @ Jun 8th 2009 4:11PM]

Welcome to the real world.

[ugg.tryptophan @ Jun 9th 2009 12:59AM]

all the time

[kal326 @ Jun 9th 2009 9:50AM]

System upgrades aren't flawless either. Upgraded the wife's iMac to Leopard and some service kept nagging about not being able to start when OSX starts. Couldn't find anything about the error online, had to wipe the machine clean and reload. So much for being better than Windows.

[Love iPhones @ Jun 8th 2009 1:57PM]

Download Safari from Apple

[asurroca @ Jun 8th 2009 1:58PM]

Look, Apple unwittingly advertised Microosft's Bing search during their press conference... oops

[crescentdavid @ Jun 8th 2009 2:24PM]

actually ms is targeting iPhone with ads for bing and the Woz, at the launch stated 'That was the most astounding software demo I've
ever seen.' I'm not as enthusiastic ... but Apple will make money off the connection. It's just another delivery system to iPhone and iTunes.

[Spartan_458 @ Jun 8th 2009 4:28PM]

What would they have to lose? Apple is getting money from Microsoft for the ads, and Microsoft is getting money from the ads. Apple doesn't compete with Microsoft in search, and Bing is a really good search engine. Everybody wins.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Jun 8th 2009 1:59PM]

I'm *very* happy to see browser makers touting standards compliance.

I hope you can still use the hack to turn the URL-bar-as-progress-meter back on.. or they made it default again like in Safari 3. A minor thing, but one thing I really love about Safari.

[Aru @ Jun 8th 2009 2:11PM]

"(this is Apple talking, not us)"

The two are separate? Given this site's obvious bias when it has come to reporting on Win/Mac competition in the past, I find this statement quite amusing.

[superhobo @ Jun 8th 2009 2:19PM]

I can't help feel they took something from Chrome.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Jun 8th 2009 2:25PM]

Are Chrome plugins run as separate processes? I know each tab in Chrome is its own process so if something fails you don't lose your whole browser session, just that window. It's also possible the plugins are separate too, I just can't remember.

[Ariel @ Jun 8th 2009 3:57PM]

Actually, the Safari 4 beta looked almost identical to Chrome. Now, they seem to be using the traditional tabbed style again...

[Mark @ Jun 8th 2009 7:29PM]

@UnixSystemsEngineer: Ya, plugins are too. Chrome == awesome.

[crescentdavid @ Jun 8th 2009 2:26PM]

I wonder how it will work on windows. I have yet to see apple ports work anywhere near the level of efficiency and/or sport a full complement of abilities that the native programs do.

[Perk @ Jun 8th 2009 2:28PM]

I agree Safari is bit faster than other web browsers. But lack of (i) Undo the last closed tabs (ii) Clear all private data(cookies,cache,history) in single click or combo of keys(just hate manual deletion of everything) (iii) google toolbar (iv) unable to erase google search history option alone(only in safari 4) (v) Navigation through the tabs using cmd+(1,2,3) keys (vi) Restore the last session, if safari quit unexpectedly (vi) Buggy autofill features .................
makes me prefer Firefox always over Safari.

[Chuckles McGee @ Jun 8th 2009 4:15PM]

Chrome for the win.

[tekdroid @ Jun 8th 2009 2:31PM]

Last I looked, Safari (for Windows) didn't have anything like Adblock Plus for Firefox
http://adblockplus.org/en/installation
and/or Fanboy's Adblock List for Opera
http://www.fanboy.co.nz/adblock/opera/
Though I saw some Mac-based solutions for the ad problem.

Anyone know of an in-browser ad-blocking solution for Safari on Windows? Would like to spend some some more hours with Safari to better see what it offers, but won't do it with ads (and this puts speed arguments in a whole new light!)

[Johh @ Jun 8th 2009 2:38PM]

You are aware, that you have "UNPARALLED" in the title? That's not a word, now is it?

[alexicov @ Jun 8th 2009 2:38PM]

Dear Apple,
I will NOT use a browser where middle clicking a tab doesn't close it.
I have a flow to my browsing and something so basic that breaks it every 2 minutes is a big down point.

After all, it isn't 2004 anymore.

Other than that, I really think that the all the browsers are

[alexicov @ Jun 8th 2009 2:39PM]

didn't finish my thought.

otherwise all the browsers are so close in speed that your preference is really just based on features and aesthetics.

[alexicov @ Jun 8th 2009 4:29PM]

Looks like they fixed that, props to them

[cbw87 @ Jun 11th 2009 12:36PM]

3 button mouse? It isn't 2004 any more.

[itsnotabigtruck @ Jun 14th 2009 12:51AM]

A mouse without a wheel? It isn't 1997 anymore.

[jcrewsam23 @ Jun 8th 2009 2:41PM]

i dont see the download other than the safari 4 public beta on the apple website. anyone have the link?

[Jonyah @ Jun 8th 2009 2:42PM]

no comparison to chrome? ya because it's the same underlying code, they're just behind on catching up with it. Apple = Fail yet again.

[Joe @ Jun 8th 2009 7:17PM]

You do realise that while Chrome and Safari run at near enough the same speed, Safari has tons more features than it.

[Macedonia Mafia @ Jun 8th 2009 3:08PM]

I'm using it right now, and damn it is nice. very fast and very aesthetically pleasing.

[M. @ Jun 8th 2009 4:51PM]

I noticed the speed, Engadget loaded FAST!

[jon @ Jun 8th 2009 3:10PM]

i just downloaded safari 4, and compared google maps speed to the latest build of firefox. i found that the differences in speed were nearly un-noticeable. i honestly could hardly tell you which one i thought was faster, they were so close, and i was using google maps in a firefox window that had 5 tabs open, where safari 4 only had google maps open. overall ive never had an issue with safari, but for a windows user especially, its just like that new search engine 'Bing' its the answer to a question no one asked.

[Amol @ Jun 8th 2009 3:13PM]

Still a memory hog on Windows. I opened up Google, and it consumed 90MB of RAM. I'm going to stick with Chrome, which uses 1/3 of that when browsing Engadget.

[Jonathan @ Jun 8th 2009 3:29PM]

they moved the tabs back from the top to under the bookmark bar! and they got a semi-"loading" progress bar back. finallly

[Charles @ Jun 8th 2009 6:54PM]

This is a downside in my book. The tabs on top were a much more efficient use of space. Anyone know how to change it back?

[i_am_rich @ Jun 8th 2009 3:52PM]

I just opened Safari 4 and IT CRASHED

I dig the Top List thing but it doesn't really seem faster than my usual Firefox

[Alex @ Jun 8th 2009 3:55PM]

THEY GOT RID OF THE UGLY TABS ON TOP!!!!!!
(sorry for the caps, i'm just soo exited!!!!)

[i_am_rich @ Jun 8th 2009 3:58PM]

light blue background = fail

[Jan @ Jun 8th 2009 4:04PM]

They killed upper tabs! Morons!!!
Somebody still has Betas dmg? I'm going back.

[roninfuse @ Jun 8th 2009 4:20PM]

same here i am going back to beta upper tabs was the best thing ever

[Ron @ Jun 8th 2009 4:22PM]

It looks like they abandoned some of the changes they made... like the upper tabs... but I bet that some enterprising developer will come up with a way to re-enable them,

Personally, I found them very unintuitive.


I like the updated progress bar, but I preferred the old one which could identify how much of the page has been loaded...