safarilogoApple today seeded developers with new versions of Safari for OS X Mavericks (Safari 7.1) and OS X Mountain Lion (Safari 6.2) to parallel continued work on OS X Yosemite. In particular, Apple is asking developers to test general website and extension compatibility for several reasons.

Please test general website compatibility.
- Subpixel rendering is now on by default for all web content. Web sites or in-app web views with extremely tight design constraints may render differently.
- CSS object model getters will return fractional double values based on subpixel layout and rendering metrics instead of rounded integral values.

Please test extension compatibility.

Apple also documents several new WebKit features included in the new versions of Safari including support for WebGL, which allows users to view 3D content without plug-ins. WebGL has been present in Safari for OS X for several years, but is disabled by default. It's clear, however, that Apple is looking to take WebGL mainstream, pushing development on OS X Safari and bringing it to Safari for iOS later this year with iOS 8.

Update: Many non-developers are reporting that the Safari 7.1 beta is even showing up for them in the Mac App Store update section.

Top Rated Comments

tywebb13 Avatar
146 months ago
Apple accidently indexed the file Safari7.1MavericksSeed.pkg in the file

index-10.9-mountainlion-lion-snowleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog.gz

giving ALL the public with mavericks access to it.

They should have only put it onto the developer and public beta testers index files.

It should not go onto

index-10.9-mountainlion-lion-snowleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog.gz

until safari 7.1 is actually officially publicly released.

This would explain why you are seeing it in your mac app store even if you are not a developer or public beta tester.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tywebb13 Avatar
146 months ago
I put a message about it in apple's developer forums and apple acted pretty quickly on it and have now removed the file Safari7.1MavericksSeed.pkg from index-10.9-mountainlion-lion-snowleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog.gz

Hence it is no longer publicly available to everyone. (But is still available to developers via the mac dev center).
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PocketSand11 Avatar
146 months ago
These updates always make Safari sna– faster for me, but I really wish they'd bring back the Activity Window that listed all the page resources to get their URLs. It was great for downloading videos and such (for personal use!). For some reason, the web inspector doesn't have any similar functionality, and they removed the Activity Window after Safari 5 I think.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Emulsion Avatar
146 months ago
'Apple looking to take WebGL mainstream.'

Wrong. It hasn't gone mainstream because Apple hasn't implemented the web standard yet. So developers haven't implemented it because of Apple holding out.

There's a difference.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xeni Avatar
146 months ago
I'm not a dev either but if you signed up to get Xcode, then you will get these updates i think.
Not sure if signing up for the Yosemite beta did the same thing.

EDIT: ...or not? http://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/2aec4h/safari_71_developer_preview_in_app_store/
Looks like Apple may have goofed up.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iBug2 Avatar
146 months ago
Apple does not seem to be serious about their browser any more. It was very innovative when it was launched but now I think FireFox and Chrome are way ahead.

Ahead in terms of what? Safari is way more faster than both of those browsers and uses a lot less energy. I keep Firefox because I need its addons every now and then but I have no use for Chrome.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

New iPhone 17 Pro Details: Brighter Display, Best Battery Life, and More

Wednesday September 3, 2025 5:33 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week

Tuesday September 2, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Just one week before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series, an analyst has shared new price estimates for the devices. Here are J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee's price estimates for the iPhone 17 series in the United States, according to 9to5Mac: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Change iPhone 16 $799 iPhone 17 ...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

Survey: Nearly 70% of Users Plan to Upgrade to iPhone 17

Monday September 1, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
A new survey has found that nearly seven in ten iPhone owners in the United States plan to upgrade to an iPhone 17 model, signaling strong demand ahead of Apple's expected unveiling of the devices at its September 9 keynote. Smartphone price comparison platform SellCell surveyed over 2,000 U.S.-based iPhone users in August to assess upgrade interest and brand loyalty before Apple's event....