A new version of Safari has been released, aimed at web developers, but you too can download it. This gives you access to technology that cannot yet be found in the consumer version of the browser.
Safari preview
Apple has released the Safari Technology Preview. That’s a new developer version of Safari that should run more stable than the previous version, Webkit nightly. Developers have been using the preview variant of Safari for years, but now consumers can also get started with the browser. No developer account is required for this.
The Safari Technology Preview gives web developers the opportunity to work with the latest technology in HTML, CSS, JavaScript and WebKit. The settings you save for Safari via iCloud also work with this version of the browser. According to Apple, the Technology Preview will be provided with an official update every two weeks.
to install
Follow these steps to install the Safari Technology Preview:
- Go to this Safari download page for developers;
- Click on ‘Download Safari Technology Preview’ (make sure you are running OS X 10.11.4 or later);
- Install the .dmg file you downloaded.
As a regular user, you probably won’t notice much of the new Safari, except that the icon in your Dock is purple instead of blue.
Google Chrome also allows you to download developer versions of unreleased Chrome variants. These are early and more stable betas. The difference, however, is that Google often tries out features in its betas, which may not make it to the final version. Apple offers little experimentation in the developer version, just a solid browser that can be released in the future.
Also read: Google lets iOS users test Chrome beta
Problems with links on iOS
The preview is only available on the Mac, on iOS you have to do it with the standard version. Many people complain that they can no longer open links since the arrival of iOS 9.3. Apple is aware of that problem and is working on a solution.
Read more about Safari
- Tip: This is how you set a different default search engine on your iPhone (28-3)
- Big Sur tip: this is how you set your own photo as the background for Safari (26-11-2020)
- macOS Big Sur: This is how you view website privacy reports in Safari (25-11-2020)
- Translating websites with your iPhone and iPad: that’s how it works (23-11-2020)
- Tip: Here’s how to use the improved Safari extensions in macOS Big Sur (21-11-2020)