- cross-posted to:
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- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
Today, Mozilla announced more than 450 new extensions (software that adds new features or functionality to the browser) to users on Firefox for Android at Mozilla’s AMO Android page. This milestone marks the launch of a new open extension ecosystem on mobile where developers are now free to create and publish extensions and users can easily access and install them on Firefox for Android.
“Extensions were first created as a way for people to customize their own internet experience, from artists designing themes to developers who wanted to make extensions to improve people’s web experience,” said Vicky Chin, Vice President of Engineering at Firefox. “We’re thrilled to bring this experience to Firefox for Android, where we’re the only major Android browser to support an open extension ecosystem. In the coming months, we plan to enable more extensions for people to choose from and customize their own mobile internet experience.”
Our journey to an open extension ecosystem to benefit all
Browser extensions have become an essential part of everyone’s daily internet experience. Nearly half of all Firefox desktop users have installed an extension to customize their online experience. Extensions provide a wide array of powerful features — from privacy tools like anti-trackers and ad blockers, to productivity tools, tab managers, translators and so much more.
Built on Mozilla’s mission for an open and accessible internet for all, Firefox works with an independent community of developers to offer extensions for people who want more personal agency out of their online experience. On desktop, there are thousands of extensions to help you become a better writer, land a job or clean up a chaotic desktop. While the new Android ecosystem will take time to develop the robust diversity of content that desktop extensions offer, quite a few major desktop extensions are already available on Firefox for Android, such as privacy focused content blockers uBlock Origin and Ghostery, anti-tracking gem Privacy Badger and color customizer Dark Reader.
In August, we announced that we had completed building the infrastructure needed to support an open extension ecosystem on Firefox for Android. We were ready for the next chapter: adding extensions. Since then, we’ve been working with developers to test and make hundreds of extensions compatible on mobile. So, are you ready to customize your mobile browsing experience to make it faster, safer or simply more fun? Look no further with today’s release of extensions on Firefox for Android.
**Extensions to help while you’re on the go, just in time for the holidays **
We depend on our mobile devices for many things — quick informational searches, reading articles, listening to music, looking for recipes (like cookies for the annual cookie holiday exchange). So, we understand the value of having experiences that are simple, predictable and offer the time to focus. Here are some extensions available today to help achieve that flow.
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Midnight Lizard – Read easier
We look at our mobile devices in so many different environments. Whether it’s outside with the sun or inside a dimly lit room, our eyes work hard to adjust. Midnight Lizard is one of those extensions your eyes will feel the difference and thank you. It can change the colors of the page, increase or decrease the brightness and contrast. Add a blue light filter, screen shader and of course, the ever-popular night mode. Midnight Lizard will keep your eyes in good shape! -
Dark Background and Light Text – Keep it simple
This extension is well-loved by thousands of users for its simplicity. It’s helpful for folks who prefer to work in dark mode, or those with low vision where reading dark text on a white background is challenging. You’re free to customize it so that all web pages are rendered in this elegant way, or just select pages. -
Worldwide Radio – Get into the groove
Access more than 50,000 radio stations from all over the world right from your Firefox for Android browser. In the mood for a bit of Brazilian Samba? How about some traditional Indian Hindustani? Techno beats from Berlin? The world’s music and real time talk radio is literally at your fingertips.
A big thank you to our developer community
We would like to thank all the developers who worked with us to make their extensions compatible for this launch of the open extension ecosystem on Firefox for Android. Hundreds attended our webinars and brought incredible creative energy to this project.
“The opportunity for innovation is vast,” said Giorgio Natili, Firefox Director of Engineering. “It’s thrilling to see extension developers embrace this moment and create novel browsing experiences and features for Firefox for Android users. People don’t have to browse the mobile web in a strictly singular way anymore. With extensions, you’re free to change the way Firefox for Android looks and behaves. It’s only going to get better as more developers innovate within this exciting new space.”
As more developers create mobile optimized content, you can expect a wave of new Firefox for Android extensions to emerge in the coming months. In the meantime, download the latest Firefox for Android and shape your own internet experience with Android extensions.
I’m trying hard to make Firefox my main browser on my phone. Out of habit, I browse in Private Mode and bookmark stuff I want to remember. Every so often though, Firefox closes the open private tabs when switch between apps. There is no real way to replicate this so I can submit a bug report. I’m not sure what I can do about it.
Good of them to bring the add ons though, I’ll keep persisting with the fox.
In case you missed brewery’s message below (as it’s a second-level comment): all private mode does is to temporarily prevent storing history and cookies on your device. You can set that as default behavior for normal browsing instead.
No, I got that but like I said, it is just a force of habit for me to use private window during my web use. I need to use internet on multiple systems as part of my work and it’s just become natural for me to open a private session to search and do stuff and not to leave any login sessions open by mistake.
But I reading the replies makes me realise that it must be android’s aggressive battery saving tricks that kills Firefox active private sessions. But it is sad that I’m noticing this only for Firefox while Brave browser is exempt. Maybe because it is chromium based.
Yeah, closing Firefox also closes any private windows down on both Android and Desktop
That’s the thing, I’m not closing the application on Android. Just switching to another application.
It could be the lack of RAM. I had a smartphone with 3Go of RAM and it was a nightmare to keep things open.
No, that’s not it. I’m comfortably safe at 8 gigs.
What’s your phone maker? I don’t have this issue with this amount of ram using custom ROM.
Android can terminate apps even if they still are in the recent app view. My Samsung is really aggressive in this regard with some apps, Firefox being one of them.
Could it be that Android is closing Firefox in the background like it often does?
Yeah it sounds like Androids aggressive battery helper is causing this.
Is there any benefit to browsing private mode? Its only stopping history on your phone and not websites, so you can just set normal mode to not save history, cookies etc. Private mode is designed to be temporary in stopping your phone recording history and one button to close them all, so its not surprising that it doesn’t save tabs, in fact its a feature
Smartphones are severely limited for power usage. Use a regular laptop/desktop for multi works.