Apple has launched a new campaign that sets Safari directly against Chrome, with the stated goal of convincing Mac users of Google's browser to switch to its own. The centrepiece is a dedicated page on Apple's website, titled "Switch to Safari", accompanied by two 15-second YouTube videos promoting the Intelligent Tracking Prevention and Distraction Control features.
The core message is simple: Safari is "a more powerful and private browser than Chrome". On the page, Apple lists several advantages, starting with battery life. According to the company, on a Mac Safari can stream video for up to 5 hours longer on a single charge than Chrome. The site also says Safari loads frequently visited sites up to 35% faster. These are Apple's own internal test figures, so they should be read as the manufacturer's estimates rather than independent measurements.
Image: Apple
On privacy, the page accuses Chrome of letting more third-party trackers follow users across the web, collecting and selling their data to advertisers. Apple also claims Chrome does not remember which distractions users want kept hidden, something Safari handles with Distraction Control. Safari, the page says, blocks third-party cookies by default.
The page also includes a side-by-side comparison table covering features such as Reader Mode, profiles and Apple Pay, and explains how to set Safari as the default browser on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
The campaign is not a one-off. In June Apple ran a "Privacy on iPhone" campaign presenting Safari as the more private alternative to Chrome, and direct comparisons with Google's browser have become a recurring theme in its marketing. The technical backdrop is an increasingly tight race on security: Chrome is accelerating its updates, moving to a two-week release cycle from version 153, as reported in an AlexTech article.
Whether the campaign will actually move users remains to be seen. The site promises concrete benefits, but the strongest numbers come from Apple's own tests, and not every reader will have the same browsing habits.
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