Apple last night announced the launch of versions of its Safari web browser for Windows XP or Vista operating systems, in a new challenge to Microsoft's dominant Internet Explorer.
Apple chief executive Steve Jobs unveiled the plan as he kicked off a Worldwide Developers Conference that the maker of Macintosh computers holds annually in San Francisco.
Microsoft's IE browser is on 78% of the world's computers while Safari, made exclusively for Apple's Macintosh machines until Monday, has about 5% of the market.
Apple will distribute Safari software as part of its iTunes online store which sells music, films and other content for the company's iPod players.
