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Apple's Removes Mentions of Safari for Windows, But Version 5.1.7 Still Available For Now [Updated]

Wednesday July 25, 2012 9:42 am PDT by Eric Slivka
With today's release of Safari 6, there has been some confusion over the fate of Safari for Windows. Apple's Safari download page that previously allowed users to download versions for Mac or Windows now redirects to the main Safari page highlighting Safari 6 for Mac, with no mention of Safari for Windows anywhere in Apple's revamped Safari feature pages.

But while Safari for Windows has not been upgraded to version 6 and thus has not received the many new features included for Mac in that release, Apple does appear to be planning to continue quietly offering Safari for Windows. Listings for Safari updates in Apple's support download pages had previously summarized all available Mac and Windows version and provided a link to the general download page, but Apple has now placed Safari for Windows on a dedicated page linking directly to the download.


Safari for Windows remains at version 5.1.7 initially released alongside OS X 10.7.4 in early May. The software is clearly not a high priority for Apple, as evidenced by the removal of all mentions of the Windows option from the main Safari product pages, but the company is keeping the most recent version available for download. It is unclear, however, whether Apple has plans to bring additional feature updates to the browser.

Update: Apple has pulled the standalone Safari 5.1.7 for Windows download page, redirecting visitors to the previous version that links to the now-discontinued general Safari download page. As a result, it appears that Safari for Windows is now not directly linked anywhere in Apple's official download pages.

[ 154 comments ]


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Summersify
85 months ago
I guess Safari 6 was just too snappy for Windows machines to run...
Rating: 52 Votes
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Hastings101
85 months ago
Probably because all the Windows Safari users switched to Chrome :p
Rating: 41 Votes
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KnightWRX
85 months ago
With Chrome providing a leading browser on Windows that uses Webkit and Apple's awful UI integration on Windows, is it any surprise the product never really took off ? Apple really pushes for developers to respect OS X's HIG, yet they completely fail to follow Microsoft's when porting their software to Windows.
Rating: 25 Votes
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A Hebrew
85 months ago
.01% of Windows users are going to be really disappointed about this.
Rating: 21 Votes
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astrorider
85 months ago

With Chrome providing a leading browser on Windows that uses Webkit and Apple's awful UI integration on Windows, is it any surprise the product never really took off ? Apple really pushes for developers to respect OS X's HIG, yet they completely fail to follow Microsoft's when porting their software to Windows.


There's a Windows HIG?
Rating: 18 Votes
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smoledman
85 months ago
LOL - as if anyone ever used it on Windows. Apple software on Windows(Safari, Quicktime, iTunes) is horrible bloatware.
Rating: 13 Votes
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Consultant
85 months ago
I like Safari for Windows. Works great in bootcamp.

Hopefully it will be updated.
Rating: 10 Votes
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charlituna
85 months ago

WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME?! I hate Firefox and Chrome


Why?

Easy. to make you have to buy a Mac if you want to use the latest Safari. It's an evil and diabolical trick that Steve and Tim learned from their true master.

Rating: 9 Votes
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deannnnn
85 months ago
Chrome offers serious competition to Safari on the Mac side. On Windows, it's no question -- Chrome all the way.
Rating: 8 Votes
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slippyr4
85 months ago

I was really disappointed when Apple made Safari for Windows "more Windows like". The Mac-likeness of it was it's shinning feature.


Disagree entirely.

Any app should stick to the UI guidelines (yes, there are a lot of guidelines on windows before anyone trolls). It's what users expect. And it's the point of them.

If Microsoft launched a browser on OSX that was skinned like windows - even if it was really good - it would get panned by design any usability purists because it doesn't have a UI consistent with the rest of the OS.

Apple's insistence on making Safari (and iTunes) look like mac apps is a design mistake. It is a case of marketing over appropriate design.
Rating: 6 Votes

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