Safari 3.1 Arrives with Performance Improvements

Apple has just released a newer version of the Safari Browser for Mac and Windows. The new version (3.1) has several performance improvements, when compared to the previous version (3.0.8). Safari 3.1 is much more than a mere bug fixes release. Most changes are done under the hood, so we didn’t notice any additional features added to the browser. However, Safari 3.1 proudly supports CSS Animations, CSS WebFonts, and HTML 5 video for better embedded videos. Complete list of improvements can be read here.

safari_3.1

Safari is still the world’s fastest browser, according to Apple. But CyberNet’s Java SunSpider test reveals something else. Firefox 3 Beta 4 beats Safari 3.1 by 439.8ms, which means Firefox 3 is faster. Yeah, if we talk about released browsers, Safari 3.1 is the fastest, but not for long!

Safari was the first web browser to pass Acid2 web standards test. Coming to Acid3, Safari 3.1 fails to pass, but it scores 75/100 (that’s pretty close. Infact closer than any other browser)

If you already have Safari 3.0.8, you can download version 3.1 by running Apple Software Updater. The update weighs in at around 22.65MB on Windows. Others head over to this link and download standalone installer of Safari 3.1

This post was published by on March 19, 2008

About the Author: Thilak Rao works as a Social Media Expert. He is one of the first professional bloggers from India, and he loves to write, travel and click photos. Follow him on Twitter @thilak

  • http://green-flamingo.com Nathaniel

    In the past I have looked down on Safari. But this newer version does look pretty good. At school it is the only browser we can use, so far at least, and Safari does alert you when an update is available. The last one didn’t accept, but I see that it would be good to.