The experience has gotten even better for some markets who choose Firefox instead of Chrome, the default browser on Android devices. Mozilla, the maker of Firefox, today announced the release of over 450 new extensions (also known as browser add-ons). These are currently available on his website at Mozilla. Firefox browser add-ons page. These extensions allow users to customize their mobile browser to suit their needs. Tracking protection privacy tools, content blockerproductivity tools, or other features that introduce new experiences. streaming music, or anything that allows users to personalize their browser’s user interface – etc. Switch all websites to dark mode or provide A better way to manage tabs.
The lack of extensions has been a problem for Firefox Android users for years. 2020 launch of rebuilt version of mobile browser This replaces the app’s previous codebase with a new, faster, more customizable browser engine called ‘GeckoView’. At the time, the company said he had made a decision Limits supported extensions to those in the “Recommended Extensions” program, that is, extensions that are commonly installed by end users. This choice allowed Mozilla to quickly get the new browser into consumers’ hands, but it also killed the long tail of extension development and opportunities for software developers focused on this market. .
Nightly builds of Firefox have since enabled many more extensions, but hundreds of these extensions were not accessible in the publicly available Firefox browser for Android. This meant that most mainstream users of Firefox also had no access to extensions.
In August of this year, Mozilla said We finally have the infrastructure needed to bring the open extension ecosystem back to Firefox for Android. We then began testing hundreds more extensions for Firefox Android users, culminating in today’s news that we now have over 450 extensions available.
The company highlighted the importance of having an open ecosystem, noting that nearly half of all Firefox desktop users install extensions to customize their experience.
Many of the recommended extensions for Android browsers have six-figure user numbers or more, but the apps themselves only hold a small portion of the mobile browser market due to the traction that default browsers Chrome and Safari have gained in the mobile browser market. I have not. Android and iOS respectively. On mobile devices, Firefox has a market share of only 0.5% as of November 2023. According to data from StatCounter. In comparison, Chrome’s share is 64.23%. Safari, Samsung’s browser, Opera, etc. are also ahead of Firefox in the mobile browser competition.
Still, the app has a small but loyal following, including those looking for alternative options outside of big tech companies. One of its key selling points is automatic tracker blocking, which is appealing to those who value privacy. According to Google Play Store data, Firefox for Android has surpassed 100 million installs to date.
“The opportunities for innovation are huge,” said Giorgio Natiri, Director of Engineering at Firefox. announcement About launching extensions. “It’s exciting to see extension developers capitalizing on this moment and creating novel browsing experiences and features for Firefox for Android users. You don’t have to browse the mobile web with Extensions, which give you the freedom to change the way Firefox for Android looks and behaves. As more developers innovate in this exciting new field, things get even better. It will be,” he added.
Source: techcrunch.com
