Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 127 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

[MacRumors]

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.

Safari Technology Preview release 127 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for CSS, Scrolling, JavaScript, Media, WebRTC, WebAPI, Accessibility, and Rendering.

The current Safari Technology Preview release is built on the new Safari 15 update included in macOS Monterey, and as such, it includes several Safari 15 features. There's a new streamlined tab bar with support for Tab Groups to organize tabs, along with improved support for Safari Web Extensions.

Live Text allows users to select and interact with text in images on the web, but the macOS Monterey beta and an M1 Mac is required. There's also Quick Notes support for adding links and Safari highlights to remember important information and ideas.

Other updates include WebGL 2 and new HTML, CSS, and JavaScript features.

The new Safari Technology Preview update is available for both macOS Big Sur and macOS Monterey, the newest version of the Mac operating system that's set to release this fall.

The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences to anyone who has downloaded the browser. Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple's aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.

Article Link: Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 127 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

 

[ErikGrim]

By default scores 512 on html5test.com vs 471 for regular Safari 15 (monterey dp2)

 

[macguy2021]

I'm loving the new Safari. Not ready to do the Monterey beta yet, but STP is now my default browser on 11.4 Big Sur. I love the redesign and I can say with no sarcasm - it *does* seem snappier. It definitely feels more modern than Safari.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗]

Nice last minute surprise this week.

Good work Apple.

 

[iFan86]

The address bar no longer takes on the color of the website since this latest update was installed.

 

[nutmac]

The address bar no longer takes on the color of the website since this latest update was installed.

Darn it. I must be in the minority, but I actually liked it. Apple just need to tweak the contrast a bit to make the tab title more legible.

Another new feature: the reload/refresh button is back.

 

[ErikGrim]

The address bar no longer takes on the color of the website since this latest update was installed.

It does on Monterey

 

[mattbisme]

Seems like Tab Groups have been removed for me with this update. Anyone else run into this?

 

[Blowback]

Darn it. I must be in the minority, but I actually liked it. Apple just need to tweak the contrast a bit to make the tab title more legible.

Another new feature: the reload/refresh button is back.

I liked it also; and , you could change it to either/or under prefs (advanced). That option has now been removed. Wish they had left it and just made everyone aware of the ability to change as wanted.

 

[kevinkevinkevinkevinkevin]

Seems like Tab Groups have been removed for me with this update. Anyone else run into this?

Same. I was really enjoying them, too... hopefully they're back soon, or this is just a fluke.

 

[Junipr]

it *does* seem snappier

Came to the comments for this, not disappointed thank you

 

[deef]

You can customize the Toolbar on Big Sur, but I don't see a pref. to get the colors back.

 

[billza7]

Seems like Tab Groups have been removed for me with this update. Anyone else run into this?

Same. I was really enjoying them, too... hopefully they're back soon, or this is just a fluke.

Same with me. I guess it'll come back in the official Monterey update. Shame

 

[ErikGrim]

Same with me. I guess it'll come back in the official Monterey update. Shame

Tab Groups still in Monterey. I guess they turned off the monterey specific features when running in Big Sur?

 

[triptolemus]

This little tile thing that pops up when you hover over the active tab address bar seems to like to stick around way longer than it is welcome. And other times it simply doesn't show up at all!

I get that this is beta (alpha?) software, but jeez, it's like they programmed a randomizer into the UI.

 

[shapesinaframe]

Seems like Tab Groups have been removed for me with this update. Anyone else run into this?

They were broken in the previous release on Big Sur. They didn't save when quitting the browser.

 

[KALLT]

This also fixes the bug since macOS 11.3 that ignores the font smoothing/emboldening setting in WebKit. If you use, defaults -currentHost write -g AppleFontSmoothing -int 0 to disable the font emboldening, it will apply in the Safari Technology Preview. Hopefully this fix finds its way into a Safari update for macOS 11 at some point.

 

[bbfc]

The address bar no longer takes on the color of the website since this latest update was installed.

I liked that feature. Hopefully it'll make a come back in the next build. Why release it and then remove it?

 

[DannyGGG]

Tab Groups still in Monterey. I guess they turned off the monterey specific features when running in Big Sur?

So I guess I’m not updating then. A shame, all that means is they get a smaller pool of people to comment on those features.

 

[billza7]

So I just updated to the Public beta of Monterey. The default Safari now comes with tabs that change colors and tab groups that save session even after quitting. No bugs so far (that I know of) so everything is great.

 

[dumiku]

The major reason that tried macOS 12 for short time was because of the new safari, now that toolbar bg color tint has been disabled in the STP, probably going to temp remove it until it's back.
I read about the tab groups being gone but nothing about toolbar tint bg. The previous version seemed buggy for me so not downgrading it.

 

[chucker23n1]

The address bar no longer takes on the color of the website since this latest update was installed.

Yeah. The preference in Advanced seems gone. (On Big Sur, anyway.)

Fine by me; that feature didn't look great, IMO. (Ironically, one of the sites I disliked it on? apple.com.)

Seems like Tab Groups have been removed for me with this update. Anyone else run into this?

Yup. Gone.

They were broken in the previous release on Big Sur. They didn't save when quitting the browser.

Yeah, they flat-out disappeared. Also, they never seemed to sync with the ones on my iPhone (running iOS 15).

This is a bummer, as Tab Groups were the main feature in Safari 15 I was looking forward to.

(I can't upgrade this laptop to Monterey.)

 

[k.alexander]

Man, purposefully again tried to switch from Chrome to STP specifically because I wanted the tab sync feature (and better bookmark sync) with my iOS/iPadOS15 devices. Lasted all of one day, and now they've removed Tab Groups altogether from the updated/current STP. So I'm back to Chrome. It's as if Apple really doesn't want people to switch away from Chrome. Every single time I try to do so, there's something that doesn't work right, or something that's missing, on the Safari side. I guess I'll try again when I put Monterey on, but at this point, I feel like it's just going to be more of the same -- disappointment.

 

[boswald]

I'm loving the new Safari. Not ready to do the Monterey beta yet, but STP is now my default browser on 11.4 Big Sur. I love the redesign and I can say with no sarcasm - it *does* seem snappier. It definitely feels more modern than Safari.

I don’t even have macOS 15 yet, but I have to say I have never used anything but Safari on my Mac or iPhone. It’s simple, clean, fast, and works perfectly with the right ad-blocker. No need for anything else! Plus, I feel like I don’t have to go through and disable a bunch of unnecessary crap before I can even use the thing.

 

[k.alexander]

I don’t even have macOS 15 yet, but I have to say I have never used anything but Safari on my Mac or iPhone. It’s simple, clean, fast, and works perfectly with the right ad-blocker. No need for anything else! Plus, I feel like I don’t have to go through and disable a bunch of unnecessary crap before I can even use the thing.

Which adblocker do you like?
Currently missing for me Extensions (I use just a handful on Chrome):
- Enhancer for YouTube - this one is the most missed one, being able to adjust youtube video playback speed by just clicking the extension's youtube overlay buttons, instead of going back and forth into the youtube playback menu--huge!
- InvisbileHand / PriceBlink or the like -- there's Honey but I don't really care for it.
- Type-Ahead-Find - something that lets me just start typing on a webpage to search through that webpage without having to hit Cmd-F first.