Apple's Safari browser has emerged as the world's second most popular desktop browser and the least vulnerable one too, according to web analytics firm StatCounter. Google Chrome is the most vulnerable web browser, with 303 reported security flaws. However, Apple Safari desktop browser was used by only one per cent of Indians in April while more than 90 per cent of Indians use Google Chrome browser.
With 11.87 per cent of desktop users regularly using it, Apple Safari browser has captured its position as the second most popular browser globally again, with Microsoft Edge closely following at 11 per cent.
Apple's dominance in the browser wars can be attributed to a significant increase in global Mac sales last year, despite supply constraints throughout the course of the year. Interest in the M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M1 Ultra, and M2 chips saw Apple's Mac revenue hit $11.5 billion in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022, up $2.5 billion year over year (YoY).
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Meanwhile, Mozilla Firefox ranked fourth with a 5.65 per cent share, with Opera browser at the sixth spot with 3.09 per cent users. Internet Explorer was at the seventh spot with 0.55 per cent users.
However, it should be noted that despite Apple Safari's surge, it has made virtually no progress in catching up to the dominant Google Chrome, which has maintained an iron-clad grip on the browser market. Chrome's share went down by just 0.51 per cent compared to the previous year. Chrome's popularity on both macOS and Windows platforms continues to be mostly unabated.
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To recall, with macOS Ventura, the iPhone maker has added some great new features to Safari. This includes web push notifications, improved CSS, Shared Tab Group, strong password editing and Passkeys -- a new way to authenticate to websites with Touch ID without having to create a traditional password.