Safari for Windows market share triples following SW Update push

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
Apple Inc. saw its share of the Windows browser market triple immediately after it began encouraging users of the Microsoft operating system to download and install its Safari web browser through the widely deployed Apple Software Update mechanism, according to a new report.



Net Applications, a firm which tracks browser share and operating system usage, noted in a release Thursday that Safari 3.0 on Windows never gained much traction, with its share peaking at just 0.07 percent. However, Safari 3.1 on Windows has rapidly muscled gains over the past six weeks, already tripling Safari 3.0's peak at 0.21 percent.



The surge follows a move by the Cupertino-based company back on March 18th in which it began pre-selecting Safari 3.1 installs as part of its Software Update service installed on millions of PCs that run the company's iTunes software.



"Normally, Apple's Software Update service is not used for delivery of new products.Â* Clearly, this is a calculated risk by Apple that has annoyed and/or alienated some users," Net Applications said. "However, the question is, did it work?Â* Did Apple gain browser market share on Windows based on this move?Â* The answer is yes."



Indeed, Apple became the subject of much criticism following the move, as industry watchers and rival browser developers charged the company with using its Software Update mechanism as as a trojan horse to gain an unfair advantage in the battle for share of the web browser market.







In response, the company a month later issued a revised version of the Software Update mechanism for Windows separating new software releases from regular updates to applications already installed on users' machines. It also added a toggle to turn off automatic software updates, though the box remained checked "on by default.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 55
    Maybe I read the numbers wrong but it looks like it is still under 1%
  • Reply 2 of 55
    minderbinderminderbinder Posts: 1,703member
    I found it hard to fault apple for this all along, and after this data it sure looks like they made a smart call.



    It will be interesting to see data showing whether people are actually USING safari for windows, once that's available.
  • Reply 3 of 55
    the cool gutthe cool gut Posts: 1,714member
    Excuse me - but how in the F**K is this different from installing Java (ugh I know, but filemaker server needs it) and being prompted if you'd like to install Open Office as well?
  • Reply 4 of 55
    rot'napplerot'napple Posts: 1,839member
    You don't ask, you're not going to get the business...
  • Reply 5 of 55
    johnqhjohnqh Posts: 242member
    Oh, come on, upsetting many people for that 0.14% market share?



    There are many ways to increase your market market, especially when it is 0.07%. Slipping it in and upsetting customers is not a good way.



    Whichever MBA thought of this "brilliant" idea should be fired.
  • Reply 6 of 55
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Excuse me- but is 0.21 percent something to brag about or even publicize??\
  • Reply 7 of 55
    the cool gutthe cool gut Posts: 1,714member
    How about when you buy a dell for the first time, run Internet Explorer and you are prompted if you'd like to install Google Search Bar? I have yet to see any arguements that this is not an already industry wide practice.
  • Reply 8 of 55
    stubeckstubeck Posts: 140member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by the cool gut View Post


    How about when you buy a dell for the first time, run Internet Explorer and you are prompted if you'd like to install Google Search Bar? I have yet to see any arguements that this is not an already industry wide practice.



    You're asked then though, I think th eissue was that people weren't asked, it was already clicked for them, so if they needed an iTunes update they would probably just turn their brain off and click yes to everything.
  • Reply 9 of 55
    djdjdjdj Posts: 74member
    "Encouraging" isn't the right word. "Tricking" would be more appropriate.
  • Reply 10 of 55
    Obi-Wan: I have to admit that without the [default selection] it would have not been a victory.

    Yoda: Victory! Victory you say? Master Obi-Wan, not victory. The shroud of the dark side has fallen, begun the [browser] war has.



    -Clive
  • Reply 11 of 55
    studiomusicstudiomusic Posts: 653member
    So PC users DO just click on the next button without looking at what they are doing!
  • Reply 12 of 55
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by studiomusic View Post


    So PC users DO just click on the next button without looking at what they are doing!



    Are you serious? You are acting like PC users are f*cking morons. I'm a PC user myself, I don't have the money for a Mac (16yo). Like me I intentionally clicked for the update (already had Safari installed though). And installed it on all my friends computers when 3.1 came up. They LOVE it. Everyone I let to try Safari loves it and doesn't want to use Internet Explorer anymore. People, promote Safari, like me
  • Reply 13 of 55
    federmoosefedermoose Posts: 195member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by djdj View Post


    "Encouraging" isn't the right word. "Tricking" would be more appropriate.



    people who don't know how to unclick something in plain sight deserved to be tricked.



    now come at me.
  • Reply 14 of 55
    Note that Net Applications data is based upon browser usage at various web sites, not the installed base of the browser. The .21% share should be seen in that light. People are using it.



    Consider that Safari's overall browser share according to Net Applications is 5.51%. Every little bit of share counts, even .21%.



    Opera's share, for example, is at .65%, so getting .21% in a few weeks is more significant than some people seem to think.
  • Reply 15 of 55
    zunxzunx Posts: 620member
    That is why the crap from Microsoft is being used (Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, Office, Windows, etc): INERTIA AND IGNORANCE.
  • Reply 16 of 55
    studiomusicstudiomusic Posts: 653member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TheSpecialist View Post


    Are you serious? You are acting like PC users are f*cking morons. I'm a PC user myself, I don't have the money for a Mac (16yo). Like me I intentionally clicked for the update (already had Safari installed though). And installed it on all my friends computers when 3.1 came up. They LOVE it. Everyone I let to try Safari loves it and doesn't want to use Internet Explorer anymore. People, promote Safari, like me



    You are one of the exceptions that makes the rule. Plus, you already had it installed...

    How else can you explain a triple in users so fast?

    And how else do you explain the rampant email viruses that thrive in the PC world?

    I guess there could be a bunch of f*cking morons using Mac too. I just haven't seen it.
  • Reply 17 of 55
    zorinlynxzorinlynx Posts: 170member
    The fact that people are using the browser shows that they installed it and LIKED it more than MSIE.



    I'm not sure why providing users with the option to try Safari was such a bad thing. It wasted what, maybe 0.5 seconds of their time as they decided to click yes or no? Big deal! Microsoft does this all the time and nobody bats a finger, but when Apple does it just once it's all doom and gloom!



    More market share for Safari is good for the Mac platform. People who find out how awesome Apple software is may be inclined to try the Mac, expecting more awesomeness. Many people will end up loving and buying the Mac as a result.
  • Reply 18 of 55
    eduardoeduardo Posts: 181member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Clive At Five View Post


    Obi-Wan: I have to admit that without the [default selection] it would have not been a victory.

    Yoda: Victory! Victory you say? Master Obi-Wan, not victory. The shroud of the dark side has fallen, begun the [browser] war has.



    -Clive



    Wow. You need to get out of your parents basement more often.

  • Reply 19 of 55
    fraklincfraklinc Posts: 244member
    Safari is a good browser but if Apple want's to keep strong is this game they gonna have to throw some lipstick on it, Safari looks kind of old, although it's my main browser
  • Reply 20 of 55
    pokepoke Posts: 506member
    It's ridiculous to suggest that 3 times gain is due to the Apple Updater; the upward trend is only slightly changed at the date of the update push. The 3.0 version was a beta and the 3.1 the first stable release version; it's hardly surprising that it quickly gained a larger market share.
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