There are several reasons to stop using Apple's proprietary Safari browser, from common bugs and infrequent updates to modest customization options and lack of compatibility outside of the Cupertino company's ecosystem. Why you should change the default browser on Apple gadgets - in the article

Updates

Updates for Safari in most cases are released along with an update package on iOS or macOS, but significant changes in the browser occur about once a year, Lidia Bazanova, a consultant at the information security center at Jet Infosystems, said in an interview.

“It is important to understand that browser updates play a big role in its security, as they include not only new features and interface changes, but also fixes for identified vulnerabilities. Many exploits for vulnerabilities appear in the public domain, that is, even low-skilled attackers who do not understand how they work can take advantage of these vulnerabilities. The danger of attacks on the browser is that attackers can intercept data entered into the browser or gain access to data that the user once entered into the browser and saved. For example, bank card data, passwords, personal data, personal information - all this can be used for various fraudulent schemes, ”Bazanova believes.

Chrome and other browsers provide better protection against phishing and malware because they receive security updates much more frequently. For example, Google's browser update cycle is 4 weeks.

The expert noted that the discovery of new vulnerabilities is ongoing, so it is important that the browser developer releases updates promptly.

Among the most recent examples is a vulnerability in a browser that allowed attackers and any site to track Internet activity and reveal the identity of users. Information about the discovered exploit was reported to Apple back in November 2021, but the fix was released with an update only in mid-February 2022.

Using Resources

Some Safari users are experiencing an insufficient memory or power consumption error when using the browser. The notification "This webpage is using a significant amount of energy" will ask the user to close the page. This error usually appears when one or more pages are using more resources than usual and the extra power consumption is causing your MacBook battery to drain faster. Closing the tab can solve the problem and normalize power consumption.

Users also encounter a similar warning that the page is using too much memory. The “significant memory” error is particularly annoying because Safari will automatically reload the page, which can result in the loss of data from the completed form or any other text that has been added.

This error occurs on both old and new Apple computers when the user has multiple browser tabs open or is browsing a media-heavy site.

Lack of memory slows down both the browser and the device itself. You can try to fix it by closing your tabs, exiting Safari, disabling extensions, or clearing your browser's cache. These procedures don't always work, and sometimes the only way to fix the problem is to restart your computer.

In PC Magazine's test of the most popular browsers on macOS, Apple's Safari scored 471 in the HTML5test, trailing Chrome's 528.

HTML5test is a web application for evaluating the accuracy of a web browser in implementing the HTML5 web standards and Web SQL database, as well as the WebGL standard.

Despite the fact that most users note the excessive use of RAM by the Chrome browser, the most, as shown by the PC Mag test, is occupied by Safari - 2121 MB. Firefox, Chrome, Edge and Opera spent 705, 324, 213 and 187MB respectively. That is, the most economical browser in terms of resource consumption on Apple computers is Opera.

Extensions

Extensions are a good way to add functionality to your browser. With their help, users can simplify the storage and autofill of passwords using LastPass and its analogues, save money during purchases using cashback services, and much more. Safari on Mac and iOS provides the ability to install add-ons, but it's not all that smooth.

Both desktop and mobile versions of the browser have a limited number of extensions in their library. If the user needs additional features to work in the browser, then you should take a closer look at Google Chrome, which boasts a wide library of add-ons.“Unlike Google Chrome, Safari does have fewer extensions, but at the same time, Apple takes their security level much more seriously,” said Pavel Korostelev, head of the security code company’s product promotion department, in an interview with.

Broken websites and apps

Some websites may not be supported by Apple's browser because Safari uses the WebKit rendering engine, which is not as popular as Chromium, which Chrome and Microsoft Edge are built on. Chromium in particular is widely supported by developers and most websites are designed to run on it.

Safari is also incompatible with some web applications. With limited development time and money, developers often choose the most popular browser platform and the one that is most developer-friendly. At the end of 2021, the most popular browser in the world is Google Chrome - it is installed by 49.42% of users.

As a result of this focus on Chrome and Edge, not all web apps will run on Safari. For example, the function of audio and video calls and video calls in the popular Slack messenger is not compatible with Apple's proprietary browser.

Multiplatform

Apple stands out from the competition in the market due to its ecosystem and the ease of use and compatibility of gadgets with each other. This is both a plus and a minus. Safari users can use bookmarks and open tabs on any gadget - just like an iPhone or MacBook.

The only problem is that all this only works within the ecosystem of Apple devices. The browser is not available for gadgets from other vendors. Although there used to be a version of Safari for Windows, the company abandoned this project ten years ago.

No themes

Most users who choose third-party browsers actively use their customization capabilities. However, in Safari, you can't "customize" its interface. For example, Chrome supports themes that change the appearance of browser windows, and you can also set video wallpapers in Yandex Browser.

There are many themes that offer different interface designs - from the simple ones that change the color scheme, to the complex ones that change icons and other interface elements.

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