If you own an iPad or iPhone you’ve probably observed that Safari is the default browser. Safari is a powerful browser and uses industry-standard 128-bit encryption technology to help secure web communications we do regularly (such as online banking and online credit card transactions), but what if you happen to prefer Chrome, Opera, or Dolphin? You might not be aware of it, but you can download any browser you would like onto your device. However, you can’t set anything other than Safari as the default browser on your device without manually tinkering with it, which is something only expert techies should try.
The default option
Safari being your default browser basically means that when you click on a link within an app, Safari will open and navigate you to the webpage. If you would like to use a different browser, you must copy the link, and paste it into your preferred browser. This added step may not be one that is worth it to you, but it’s the only method to use a browser other than Safari on your iDevice.
Alternative browsers
Rob Pegoraro, a columnist for USA Today, stated in a recent article that with the release of Chrome, Google has been trying to highlight the fact that alternate browsers can be utilized on iPads and iPhones. And it is quite simple to do this, just navigate to your preferred browser’s home page, and go through the download instructions for iOS.
A worthy reminder, if you plan to do any exchange of sensitive information over the web, be sure your browser choice supports industry-standard encryption levels.
A mix and match approach
Using different browsers for various purposes can help you stay organized. For instance, you might want to use Safari as your general web surfing browser, and use Chrome or Opera to keep the tabs open you use for private matters. Or perhaps you would like to use Dolphin for business. In any case, do not let the fact that Safari is your gadget’s default browser keep you from downloading and utilizing your favorite browser.
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