Apple launched their Safari 3 browser for both Windows PC and Macs, but will it be able to compete effectively against the two dominating browsers, Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Apple claims that it is the ‘world’s fastest and easiest-to-use web browser’, and on its website simply states ‘The world’s best browser’.

This claim may not be easy to substantiate, but they at least reference the industry standard iBench tests regarding speed, saying that Safari renders web pages up to twice as fast as IE 7 and up to 1.6 times faster than Firefox 2.

Apple’s Steve Jobs further claims that ‘hundreds of millions of Windows users already use iTunes, and we look forward to turning them on to Safari’s superior browsing experience too.’

Most knowledgeable Windows users I know are not particularly happy with iTunes, and this may therefore not be the best selling point for Apple’s new browser.

The browser’s graphic user interface is not too far divorced from Apple’s iTunes, but after my initial negative sentiments started to subside the browser is not all that bad. It loads fast, renders pages in a timely manner and is easy to use.

The actual website display looks somewhat different from what one may be used to in other browsers like Internet Explorer and Firefox, for example they have used bolder and darker fonts, but the overall experience remains good.

While I think it is a good piece of software, I am not convinced that PC users will make the shift to the traditionally Mac based browser.

With iTunes it comes as excess baggage with your iPod, but with Safari one has to go out and get it because you want it. This may just prove to be the difference between hundreds of millions and millions of users…