Looking to update Safari on my Catalina 10.15.7. My software update says I have the latest version but my bank now requires 16.0 or better. My Safari shows 15.6.1, but again I am supposedly up to date. Catalina is the maximum OS for my model.
I think you're basically stuck with the version the OS comes with for Safari itself, for the bank the only viable option is probably a different browser like Firefox.
And that does seem like rather a small 'compatibility' window from the Bank, considering that like you state, there will still be plenty of people that are stuck on that version.
I think you're basically stuck with the version the OS comes with for Safari itself, for the bank the only viable option is probably a different browser like Firefox.
And that does seem like rather a small 'compatibility' window from the Bank, considering that like you state, there will still be plenty of people that are stuck on that version.
At a guess, I'd say that for the bank, their concern is ensuring their online portals are as secure as possible to avoid the risk of law suits if accounts are breached in just about any form.
That would mean they'll look to just about any security enhancements included in browser updates or releases. It's not going to be just that these security enhancements are present, but that they can show they are constantly maintaining the best security stance.
Usually, when big corporates 'stick it to the customer', it's either ignorance or the fear of having to defend law suits that's the cause.
That bank's browser requirements are pretty conservative. That being said they are probably expecting most people to be running at least Big Sur which itself is nearly 4 years old. Chrome and Firefox based browsers have the widest compatibility across operating systems and is why I usually recommend them for desktop usage. Relying on browsers that are locked to the operating system is a hassle.
I remember installing Firefox in 2004, and Chrome in 2008 on Windows XP to get off IE. Microsoft dragged their feet leaving users with IE 6 for over 5 years. It wasn't until Firefox with its tabs gained market share--and Vista was ready to be released--that they released IE 7. IE updates became nearly yearly after that, and the rest is history.