Safari (web browser)
Safari is Apple’s proprietary web browser, introduced in January 2003 as part of Mac OS X Jaguar and made default with Mac OS X Panther later that year. It is deeply integrated into Apple's ecosystem—shipping with macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS—and relies on the WebKit rendering engine, an open-source fork of KHTML. Its initial development prioritized speed and innovation, with Apple claiming it was the fastest Mac browser at launch. The browser’s architecture evolved through successive versions, introducing features like Acid2 compliance (Safari 2), HTML5 and Acid3 support (Safari 4), reader mode and extensions (Safari 5), Intelligent Tracking Prevention (Safari 11), FIDO2 and Apple Pay support (Safari 13), and AI-powered Highlights (Safari 18). It has undergone major UI redesigns in Safari 15, 18, and 26, and now follows a calendar-year versioning scheme. While a Windows version existed between 2007 and 2012, it was discontinued due to low market share. Safari remains second globally in usage after Chrome, and its privacy and security features—including cross-site tracking prevention, Link Tracking Protection, and passkey support—are central to its modern identity.