Safari for Windows market share triples following SW Update push
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.
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.
Comments
It will be interesting to see data showing whether people are actually USING safari for windows, once that's available.
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.
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.
Yoda: Victory! Victory you say? Master Obi-Wan, not victory. The shroud of the dark side has fallen, begun the [browser] war has.
-Clive
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
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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.