Mozilla Firefox Mobile

Mozilla Firefox Mobile
	; Mozilla Firefox Mobile 65.0
Basic data
developer	Mozilla Foundation
Publishing year	January 28, 2010
Current version	68.10.0 ( Android ) ; June 30, 2020 25.0 ( iOS ) ; May 1, 2020
operating system	Android , iOS , previously also Maemo , Windows Mobile
programming language	C ++ , Java , JavaScript
category	Web browser
License	Multiple licensing : MPL / GPL / LGPL
German speaking	Yes
	https://www.mozilla.org/de/firefox/mobile/

Mozilla Firefox Mobile is a free web browser from the Mozilla project for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets with Apple's iOS or Android . Since the beginning should PDAs , mobile phones or MIDs are supported.

The code name for Firefox Mobile is Fennec , the English and French name for the desert fox Fennek . Firefox Mobile for Maemo 1.0 Beta 5 was the first version of the browser in 2009 to bear the official name and the Firefox logo.

Functionality

Firefox Mobile is developed on the basis of Mozilla Firefox , but has its own user interface . This is adapted to both the special capabilities ( e.g. touchscreens ) and the restrictions (small screens) of this device class.

Firefox Mobile offers features like tracking protection , tabs , touchscreen gestures, pop-up blockers and a password manager . The scope can be expanded with add-ons .

The Firefox Sync function enables the synchronization of browsing histories, passwords and tabs between different Firefox installations. By the Private Browsing can be a website with protection from prosecution activities in a private tab open, which prevents the storage of cookies, browsing history and form data. There is a function to save websites so that they can also be viewed offline.

As of version 60, the DNS over HTTPS function can be activated in about: config , as with desktop Firefox .

Current platforms

Android

A version for Android has been available since version 4.0 of Firefox Mobile was released on March 29, 2011. With version 14, the XUL interface was replaced by a native Android interface in order to reduce memory requirements and loading times. With version 31, support for Android 2.2 ends at the same time. The app exists in the Google Play Store as well as in F-Droid . However, the F-Droid version is built by the F-Droid team itself and is not completely identical as they build the app without the proprietary Google Play services .

At the end of February 2019, plans were announced to discontinue the web browser for Android from 2020 and to replace it with the new project with the code name Fenix. Fenix has been developed by the Mozilla Foundation since December 2018. In contrast to Firefox Mobile for Android operating systems, Fenix is developed in Kotlin and wants to fundamentally change the Firefox web browser for Android under the motto “Fenix is not your parent's Android browser.” (Translated: “Fenix is not your parents' Android web browser”) . Fenix is offered in the Google Play Store under the name "Firefox Preview". In July 2020, users of the Firefox Preview were migrated to the Firefox Nightly version for Android.

iOS

Firefox Mobile has been available in the iTunes Store since November 10, 2016 . From iOS version 8.2 it can be run on mobile Apple devices. The Firefox Sync function has been supported since its release . Mozilla attaches great importance to convenience and fast, uncomplicated operation.

Formerly supported platforms

Maemo / MeeGo

Initially, Firefox Mobile was only available for the Nokia Internet Tablets N800 and N810 . In February 2009 the first alpha version for the HTC Touch Pro was released.

The first stable version was released on January 28, 2010 for the N900 smartphone . Use on the N800 and N810 tablets was also possible, but was not recommended. In MeeGo , the successor to Maemo , Firefox Mobile was to become the standard browser for smartphones.

Mozilla has meanwhile stopped development for Maemo and MeeGo, the last published version was Firefox Mobile 7.

Windows Mobile

On February 22nd, 2010 the fourth alpha version of Firefox for Windows Mobile (Fennec) was released. On March 22, 2010, however, it was announced that development for Windows Mobile would be discontinued. This step was justified by the fact that Microsoft did not provide any tools for developing native applications for Windows Phone 7 , the successor to Windows Mobile.

Other platforms

Although Firefox Mobile is aimed at mobile devices, versions for the desktop operating systems Linux , macOS and Windows were regularly released in the beginning to enable developers and translators to develop add-ons etc. without a supported mobile device. The newer versions must be compiled independently for these systems.

advantages

Android, iOS

The browser has a number of advantages, such as the support of add-ons that have been created for the PC. Thus, for example, an ad blocker can be used or other functions can be added. The blocking of advertisements and trackers reduces the loading times of the accessed websites as well as the consumption of the mobile data volume . Since Apple prevents the use of ad blocker add-ons, Mozilla developed Firefox Klar for iOS devices . Starting with version 9.1, the blocking of external trackers in private tabs is also activated by default on Apple devices.

Web links

Commons : Mozilla Fennec - collection of images, videos and audio files

wiki.mozilla.org/Mobile - Mozilla Mobile Wiki

Apple iTunes - Link to Mozilla Firefox in Apple iTunes

Google Play - Link to Mozilla Firefox in Google Play

www.mozilla.com/en-US/mobile - Fennec product page (English)

ZDnet.de: First preview of Firefox Mobile for Android published , message from April 28, 2010 about the pre-alpha version at ZDNet.de

Individual evidence

↑ website-archive.mozilla.org .
↑ Installation page for Android at play.google.com , accessed on July 7, 2020.

↑ Preview page for iOS at itunes.apple.com , accessed on February 24, 2020 (partly in English).

↑ Melissa Shapiro: Firefox for Maemo Beta 5 Released. In: The Mozilla Blog. November 9, 2009, accessed October 25, 2012 .

^ Mobile / Fennec / Architecture. Background. In: MozillaWiki. Mozilla, accessed October 25, 2012 .

↑ Addons for Mozilla Firefox Mobile. Retrieved March 22, 2017 .

↑ Private information - DNS with privacy and security before the breakthrough | c't magazine. Retrieved July 25, 2018 .

↑ Firefox Mobile 31 last release for Android 2.2. Sören Hentzschel, accessed on July 21, 2014 .

↑ Firefox: private + safe surfing - apps on Google Play. Retrieved June 30, 2018 .

^ Fennec F-Droid | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository. Retrieved June 30, 2018 .

↑ Question about Firefox. Retrieved June 30, 2018 .

↑ 1523402 - (ESR-Fennec) [meta] Move Fennec to ESR. Retrieved May 2, 2019 .

↑ ^a ^b Fennec ESR68 Transition Plan. Retrieved May 2, 2019 .

↑ ^a ^b Fenix is not your parent's Android browser. Contribute to mozilla-mobile / fenix development by creating an account on GitHub. Mozilla Mobile, May 2, 2019; accessed May 2, 2019 .

↑ Firefox Preview installation page for Android. In: play.google.com. Google Play Store, accessed February 24, 2020 .

↑ Firefox finally launches for Apple's mobile operating system. Cnet.com, accessed on March 22, 2017 (English).

↑ Firefox iPhone iPad app. chip.de, accessed on March 22, 2017 .

^ Mobile / Platforms / Maemo. Firefox for Nokia Maemo. In: MozillaWiki. Mozilla, accessed October 25, 2012 .

↑ MeeGo v1.0 for Netbooks. The MeeGo Netbook User Experience includes :. In: meego.com. The Linux Foundation, accessed October 30, 2012 .

^ Stuart Parmenter: Stopping Development for Windows Mobile. Retrieved March 23, 2010 (English).

↑ Mobile / Fennec / Android. Building Fennec. In: MozillaWiki. Mozilla, accessed April 5, 2013 .

[_49d1962efc2044c7-1] website-archive.mozilla.org .

[Android-2] Installation page for Android at play.google.com , accessed on July 7, 2020.

[3] Preview page for iOS at itunes.apple.com , accessed on February 24, 2020 (partly in English).

[4] Melissa Shapiro: Firefox for Maemo Beta 5 Released. In: The Mozilla Blog. November 9, 2009, accessed October 25, 2012 .

[5] Mobile / Fennec / Architecture. Background. In: MozillaWiki. Mozilla, accessed October 25, 2012 .

[6] Addons for Mozilla Firefox Mobile. Retrieved March 22, 2017 .

[7] Private information - DNS with privacy and security before the breakthrough | c't magazine. Retrieved July 25, 2018 .

[8] Firefox Mobile 31 last release for Android 2.2. Sören Hentzschel, accessed on July 21, 2014 .

[9] Firefox: private + safe surfing - apps on Google Play. Retrieved June 30, 2018 .

[10] Fennec F-Droid | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository. Retrieved June 30, 2018 .

[11] Question about Firefox. Retrieved June 30, 2018 .

[12] 1523402 - (ESR-Fennec) [meta] Move Fennec to ESR. Retrieved May 2, 2019 .

[:0-13] Fennec ESR68 Transition Plan. Retrieved May 2, 2019 .

[github-14] Fenix is not your parent's Android browser. Contribute to mozilla-mobile / fenix development by creating an account on GitHub. Mozilla Mobile, May 2, 2019; accessed May 2, 2019 .

[15] Firefox Preview installation page for Android. In: play.google.com. Google Play Store, accessed February 24, 2020 .

[16] Firefox finally launches for Apple's mobile operating system. Cnet.com, accessed on March 22, 2017 (English).

[17] Firefox iPhone iPad app. chip.de, accessed on March 22, 2017 .

[18] Mobile / Platforms / Maemo. Firefox for Nokia Maemo. In: MozillaWiki. Mozilla, accessed October 25, 2012 .

[19] MeeGo v1.0 for Netbooks. The MeeGo Netbook User Experience includes :. In: meego.com. The Linux Foundation, accessed October 30, 2012 .

[20] Stuart Parmenter: Stopping Development for Windows Mobile. Retrieved March 23, 2010 (English).

[21] Mobile / Fennec / Android. Building Fennec. In: MozillaWiki. Mozilla, accessed April 5, 2013 .