New? How come I've been using it for years?
Aren't you mistaken for Firefox? This is Firefox Focus, a completely different product.
Although I'm not sure when the first iOS version was released.
Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android
61–70 of 352 posts
Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android
#62According to F-Droid [1], it contains `com.google.android.gms:play-services-analytics`. [1]: https://gitlab.com/fdroid/rfp/issues/171#note_30410376
I'm relatively uninformed here, but Google often requires Android app developers to bundle Google Play Services for various features like Chromecast[1]. It is possible that the Mozilla folks needed Google Play Services for some feature. [1]: https://developers.google.com/cast/docs/android_sender_setup
Maybe, but Mozilla has a quite a record for using firefox for surveillance and spying purpose, the early versions of firefox had a proprietary modules just for this purpose and the recent version have 'telemetry'.
AFAIK f-droid always had a warning about firefox containing and promoting non free in addition of tracking users
from https://f-droid.org/wiki/page/org.mozilla.firefox :
This app has the NonFreeAdd Antifeature. This app has the Tracking Antifeature. This app has the UpstreamNonFree Antifeature.
Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android
#63So, if I understand this correctly... It's a regular browser, but like you're always in private mode + it's got a built-in ad blocker? If I want to check Hacker News let's say 5 times throughout the day and feel like leaving a comment, I have to login again, without autocomplete..? Maybe I'm missing something.
The purpose is to be used for quick browsing, like Google Searches, without worrying with trackers and someone getting your history. You can always use incognito mode, but this is more convenient. It is also really fast and lightweight, which is a plus for most mobile devices. It is not meant to replace your main browser (probably). Also, as rcthompson said in another comment: > This is useful to use as your default…
I see.
Honestly, most of the time when I use Google Searches is because I want to look for something, and I love when Google personalizes results so that if I type "Amiga" it knows it's the computer and I don't want to learn Spanish. Most importantly, I end up visiting lots of websites that I might want to comment on, visit later on/not lose if my phone dies, share with my girlfriend, etc.
I personally don't see any advantage with incognito mode unless you want to hide porn from your spouse, so I guess I'm not the target for a browser created to be incognito-mode-only, and if I was I would probably use Tor, because they might not be share my info, but my IP is there for everyone to see along with the websites I visit.
Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android
#64There is also the Brave browser, which I believe covers the same ground : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.brave.brow...
Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android
#65Major bummer ... not compatible with iOS 9 on older devices.
Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android
#66According to F-Droid [1], it contains `com.google.android.gms:play-services-analytics`. [1]: https://gitlab.com/fdroid/rfp/issues/171#note_30410376
How bad is that?
Depends on your views about privacy, tracking, google and mozilla. Also your degree of tolerance.
To me privacy is of vital importance, tracking is to be avoided at all cost, so this is as bad as it can be. But I'm now used to mozilla engaging in tracking, giving away my privacy to google for money and firefox developers punishing users and distros who disabled their included spying tool.
Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android
#67Why can Firefox build a browser with 16mb and yet every other app on my phone is 80+mb?
It isn't a priority. Most people are fine with 80mb so it is better to optimize elsewhere.
Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android
#68I wish open source projects publish the compiled .apk file not just the source code.
If I want to install this on my Fire HD I either have to download the .apk from some dodgy mirror site or install Google Play with some workaround on the Fire HD. Cause Firefox Focus is not available in the Amazon App Store. I mean yeah I can do both in the end, not a big deal, but I just want the .apk nothing else.
Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android
#69Why can Firefox build a browser with 16mb and yet every other app on my phone is 80+mb?
Could be a variety of reasons, bad design, cross-platform design, ad-supported and tracking you, siphoning your data, lots of graphical element, etc.
facebook apps are good examples of this.
Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android
#70Earlier quoted context omitted.
Looks to me like that app patches out the Gecko webview.
Gecko/Webview is a compile-time switch and both the F-Droid and Play Store builds use Webview. The iOS version is Webview-only or Apple wouldn't allow it on the App store.
I think you meant WebKit for the iOS version?