14 DAY TRIAL // In tandem with the release of Safari 5 for Mac and Windows, Apple rolled out a new version of the browser for users of its five-year-old Tiger operating system (Mac OS X version 10.4). The new version primarily addresses a number of security issues found with the WebKit-based browser since its last revision, but also adds some of the spark included in Safari 5, such as performance improvements, the Bing search option in the Search Field, and improved support for HTML5.
According to Apple’s Downloads area, “[Safari 4.1] contains improvements to performance, usability, compatibility and security.” A lengthy list of such enhancements and fixes is then offered, starting with performance improvements for JavaScript, Top Sites, and trackpad pinch gestures, and faster page loading with DNS prefetching and improved page caching.
As it did with Safari 5, Apple has now added a Bing search option in the Search Field, improved support for HTML5, and made switching between Top Sites and Full History Search much easier for the user. Performance and stability improvements have also been made for pasting text into text fields in webpages, as well as for the browser’s auto-complete functions, PDF handling, and the function handling the transferring of images from Safari to iPhoto.
Apparently, a single issue has been addressed (excluding the dozens of addressed security bugs listed elsewhere on Apple’s website). According to the Mac maker, Safari 4.1 fixes an issue that prevented some users from dragging files when logged into etrade.com. Other improvements include:
- Improved auto-complete in the Smart Address Field; - Improved tabbed browsing, with the option to automatically open webpages in tabs; - Improved Full History Search, with date indicators that show when webpages were viewed; - Improved Private Browsing, with an icon in the Smart Address Field when Private Browsing is on; - Improved protection from cross-site scripting with XSS auditing; - Improved support for web applications that use JavaScript Object Notation (JSON); - Improved developer tools; - Stability improvements when using Facebook and eMusic.com; - More reliable authentication to Windows IIS.
On the Support section of its website, Apple reveals that both Safari 5 and Safari 4.1 address the same set of security issues. While Safari 5 is provided for Mac OS X v10.5 (Leopard), Mac OS X v10.6 (Snow Leopard), and Microsoft Windows systems, Safari 4.1 is provided for Mac OS X v10.4 systems only. The security content of Safari 5.0 and Safari 4.1 is detailed here.