Safari Updates At A Holt?

[LouieSamman]

I know there is an update to Safari coming with Mac OS X Lion but in looking at updates previously made and the long time span between them I can't help but wonder if Apple can keep up in the browser war.

Google chrome is updating their stable version far more than Safari.

Although Google is a software company and it makes sense that all that they have to concentrate on is making software which is why they move quickly, why can't Apple?

Doesn't Apple have a team that works solely on Safari just like Google has a team that just works on Google Chrome?

What is holding the Apple team from updating more frequently than the Google team?

 

[joelovesapple]

Good point... when was it last updated?

I do like Google Chrome but end up reverting back to Safari for some reason...

 

[dejo]

Good point... when was it last updated?

Safari 5.0.5 was released April 14, 2011.

 

[joelovesapple]

Safari 5.0.5 was released April 14, 2011.

Ah thanks for that. Does seem like they're not updating it enough... even if it's just regular performance fixes.

 

[LouieSamman]

And the updates have been disappointing with just security fixes and such nothing of speed improvements or anything new.

Of course we will get reader when OS X Lion comes that will replace instapaper for me but I hope they also bring speed improvements and an option for tabs on top.

 

[redsteven]

Don't have time to do the science of checking release dates and everything...

but I feel like there have been just as many major updates to Safari as there have been to other browsers like IE and FireFox.

When Safari came out IE was on version 5. Now it's on version 9 (that's 4 updates).
Safari is on version 5 now (also 4 updates)

Still my favorite browser... fast to start up and awesome mac UI

 

[LouieSamman]

Don't have time to do the science of checking release dates and everything...

but I feel like there have been just as many major updates to Safari as there have been to other browsers like IE and FireFox.

When Safari came out IE was on version 5. Now it's on version 9 (that's 4 updates).
Safari is on version 5 now (also 4 updates)

Still my favorite browser... fast to start up and awesome mac UI

Safari is great but I find so many unnecessary things on the browser such as showing the title of the page within the tab and on the top.

Also having a URL entry and a Google entry when Apple should do what Google has done and merge it.

Putting tabs on top can save up space by using the tabs to show the name of the website.

 

[marc11]

I have to chuckle at this thread...so NOW Apple is not sending software updates often enough? No mention of WHAT you want to see added, just you want to see SOMETHING you have to download more often....ala MS? I mean, if there is nothing broken, why send fixes?

I think a better thread would be, why isn't Apple adding this, or that or whatever to Safari, but to complain that you aren't getting enough generic updates doesn't make sense to me...there was another thread with someone bitching that Apple sends out too many updates, lol...so is it really that want want new version numbers, even if the rest of the browser remains crap, like IE, 6,7 and 8?

 

[rcp27]

Also having a URL entry and a Google entry when Apple should do what Google has done and merge it.

I'm not sure this would be a good idea. Space is not exactly at a premium (after all they manage to make both fit comfortably on the iPhone screen), and by having both it makes it clear to a new user that they can either directly type the URL or do a search. If I were presented with just a single text field (which shows the URL of the website I happen to be looking at), I would assume it's just a URL bar, and not realise that I can do a google search directly from the browser. Having separate fields makes this clear.

 

[interrobang]

Safari is great but I find so many unnecessary things on the browser such as showing the title of the page within the tab and on the top.
...
Putting tabs on top can save up space by using the tabs to show the name of the website.

You know, back when I had an 832*624 screen, I might have cared about wasting a dozen pixels or so on separate tab bars and title bars.

Now, I don't. I like Chrome, but I hate how the page title is crammed into a tab and cut off, even when I have plenty of space on my screen.

Also having a URL entry and a Google entry when Apple should do what Google has done and merge it.

If you're Google, and your goal is to have everyone search for everything instead of going directly, then sure it makes sense.

Again, not like displays are getting any smaller. Plenty of room on the screen for another field.

 

[Jacquesass]

Doesn't Apple have a team that works solely on Safari just like Google has a team that just works on Google Chrome?

What is holding the Apple team from updating more frequently than the Google team?

If you feel like you are missing out on having fresh updates, you should install the nightly Webkit build:

http://nightly.webkit.org/ (you only have to download this once, it updates from within the app from then on)

Technically betas, I've been surfing exclusively with these builds for a few years with only rare issues (that I diligently report) - and those are usually fixed in the next build! You don't get any updates to the forward-facing app (it looks and acts like your normal version of Safari), but the rendering engine/javascript/etc are updated weeks/months before the "stable" build is released.