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CaptainHaddock · Jun 14, 2007, 10:54 AM

I don't buy that Safari for Windows is meant as an iPhone SDK. It's no secret that basing serious iPhone apps on Webkit is a bit of a joke, a bone to throw Mac developers until the real iPhone SDK (with all its Cocoa and Core Animation goodness) gets ironed out and released.

It doesn't make sense as a lure to draw Windows to the Mac either. There are better ways to do that.

Why did Apple release Quicktime for Windows? Because they needed ubiquitous support for Quicktime media in order for Apple's media apps to be industry-standard and useful. Safari also comes with a few technologies that are not widespread on PCs — particularly Canvas. Could there be some reason Apple wants to get proper Canvas support onto Windows? Maybe iWork '07 will sport neat publish-to-web features, like fully functional Keynote presentations. I can see those being driven by Canvas and Javascript, and with Safari for Windows, everyone will be able to view such content. Just a thought, at any rate.

Grrr · Jun 14, 2007, 11:17 AM

I thought it was quite well known already.
Bigger market share by porting to windows means much better support for Safari. Plus the iPhone sdk hoopla.
It can only be a good thing for Safari users on Mac (And PC).
I really dont think there is much more to it than that.

Dakarʒ · Jun 14, 2007, 11:35 AM

A few people have noted that Apple probably makes a mil or two off Google searches from the Safari toolbar, so if they could double Safari's marketshare, they'd be getting double the income.

rickey939 · Jun 14, 2007, 04:41 PM

I think it's because IE sucks.

peeb · Jun 14, 2007, 05:12 PM

The interesting thing is, once MS market share drops below 80-90% in any given market, developers have to start designing for other things, which means MS does not control the standard any more. Another standards obedient browser on the market means that people can't just design for IE, or even IE plus FF, it's easier to design good HTML.
Likewise office formats. Once OO, or OO + something else, gains 10%, there are enough people out there who don't use word, that people publishing have to think about publishing in RTF, or PDF or something.

CaptainHaddock · Jun 14, 2007, 09:53 PM

Yeah, but does anyone think that Safari is going to take away market share from IE where Firefox can't? Maybe, but I have trouble seeing it.

peeb · Jun 14, 2007, 10:00 PM

Well, isn't FF making steady progress? I don't see IE winning back anyone, that's for sure. I think there are a bunch of Windows users out there who might try something made by Apple rather than an open source company just because they don't understand open source very well.

hldan · Jun 15, 2007, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by CaptainHaddock

Yeah, but does anyone think that Safari is going to take away market share from IE where Firefox can't? Maybe, but I have trouble seeing it.

Yes, this is where the iPhone comes in. Business users will be using the iPhone and they are not going to stand for their company running a website that doesn't allow them to surf to from their iPhone. This was a really smart move from Apple although my heart nearly stopped when Steve announced it. After about an hour I understood why Apple made this move.
I.E will no longer control the internet. There is no real reason anymore for corporations to use I.E.
This whole step from Apple will definitely extend to the Macintosh. Windows switchers will have one less caveat to face when switching to the Mac. Safari is the Mac's browser so switchers will know it will work and they will be more familiar with it.

:dragonflypro: · Jun 15, 2007, 01:29 AM

See, this is the thing…

There isn't one upside… there are several.

It is not that there is one reason… they are many.

The effort put into SafarWin can yield far more benefits than not… this is one of those rare MacNN forum moments when just about everyone is right.

T

Dakarʒ · Jun 15, 2007, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by CaptainHaddock

Yeah, but does anyone think that Safari is going to take away market share from IE where Firefox can't? Maybe, but I have trouble seeing it.

Nothing significant, no, but you'll be getting a decent amount fo OSX users who put it on the Windows machine to start.

Silky Voice of The Gorn · Jun 15, 2007, 08:57 AM

As a web developer, Winfari is a godsend. I'm in Parallels browser testing all the time, and having it there to test against everything else has been great. That said, I don't know why people are looking for sekrit conspiracy theories as to why Apple created Winfari. Jobs couldn't have been more clear at the keynote. He just wants to increase mind/marketshare. Seems obvious enough.