• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, June 2, 2014

Apple delivers on a new version of its Web browser Safari that aims to provide better performance and lower power drain on devices. The news, announced at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) Monday, could attract more than 130 million new customers to Apple devices in the past year.

The browser underwent a significant redesign with better search integration. The integrated share menu has been expanded with easy access to recent users' message and RSS feeds. A new view shows thumbnails of all open tabs. Apple Senior VP of software engineering Craig Federighi said Safari now runs JavaScript code faster than any other browser on the market. Safari also introduced more privacy browsing controls on the Mac.

The changes are highlighted in Apple's next version of its OS X operating system, OS X Yosemite -- available for free in the fall, when the focus turns toward continuity allowing users to transition more easily from the iPhone to Mac to iPad and back again. The strategy plays off the browser and cloud storage, file-syncing tool called iCloud Drive. It creates a local folder that syncs with other devices.

Alongside continuity, Apple CEO Tim Cook touted the company growth, with 800 million iOS devices sold worldwide, 500 million iPhone units, and 200 million iPad units.

Although it was not mentioned during the keynote, Apple could also deliver a search engine next year. In May, retired Intel VP Avram Miller said Apple is working on a Google search engine competitor that it plans to unveil in fall 2015. He explains in a blog post that Steve Jobs started the project before his death, and that Tim Cook promised to keep the project going.