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A new browsing experience arrives in Firefox for Android Nightly

blog.mozilla.org

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Re: A new browsing experience arrives in Firefox for Android Nightly

#31

Post by timvisee »

s5ma6n wrote: post #13
jonny383 wrote: post #9

If Firefox pushes this before implementing support for extensions (namely uBlock or other ad-blocking / privacy extensions) then Firefox is well and truly toast on Android. Correct me if I am wrong but the only reason non-tech people use Firefox on Android is to block ads. Perhaps this is a push from Mozilla to try and get some search revenue flowing again?

For me personally, uBlock (and other extensions) is the only reason I am using Firefox on Android. If this feature is removed, I will either go back to Samsung Browser or check something else.

Yes, the same goes for me. Even though I really like these changes, this needs to be added. Will switch to Stable until then, I guess.

Re: A new browsing experience arrives in Firefox for Android Nightly

#32

Post by chrismorgan »

cmroanirgo wrote: post #17
lol768 wrote: post #3

Given https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/5315 and https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/5630 are still open, does this represent a regression in supported functionality for nightly users?

Reading the faults, particularly the second one, it seems that uBO will be supported, but the issues they're having is with how to sync settings between desktop and mobile if you don't use sync...

But do remember that that’s talking entirely in hypotheticals, about what will be implemented, not what is implemented. #5630 is really just a very slight subset of #5315, “enough of WebExtensions that uBlock Origin works”.

It’s clear that there is intent to implement WebExtensions, but the timing is what’s in question—that it seems that they’re starting to push it towards widespread usage well before WebExtensions are supported, which is a total deal-breaker for many (definitely including me). I expect the situation will be clarified shortly.

Re: A new browsing experience arrives in Firefox for Android Nightly

#33

Post by ekianjo »

myrion wrote: post #15
severine wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because millions of people are using it and can't change easily? It's not that I don't get your point, but the amount of Android 4.x that I encounter is really big, maybe it's my humble environment, but still.

All of the 4.x versions together make up just over 10% of Androids used, according to Google. Pretty much every single 5.x version has a bigger share. It's reasonable to give that up if it makes development easier / the end result more secure, imo. Edited to ask: why is switching not easy? Even cheap phones come with far newer versions these days...

New phones have less features than old phones. No removable batteries, audio jacks becoming extinct, its almost as if manufacturers are making them completely disposable once the battery runs out.

Re: A new browsing experience arrives in Firefox for Android Nightly

#34

Post by jshevek »

s5ma6n wrote: post #13
jonny383 wrote: post #9

If Firefox pushes this before implementing support for extensions (namely uBlock or other ad-blocking / privacy extensions) then Firefox is well and truly toast on Android. Correct me if I am wrong but the only reason non-tech people use Firefox on Android is to block ads. Perhaps this is a push from Mozilla to try and get some search revenue flowing again?

For me personally, uBlock (and other extensions) is the only reason I am using Firefox on Android. If this feature is removed, I will either go back to Samsung Browser or check something else.

If you are checking something else, I recommend Brave. I've switched from Firefox to Brave and I am mostly satisfied.

Re: A new browsing experience arrives in Firefox for Android Nightly

#35

Post by calpaterson »

Lots of comments in this thread about why they have implemented this before implementing addons. Based on Mozilla's public project board it looks like they are well underway on implementing add-ons:

https://github.com/orgs/mozilla-mobile/projects/44

Check the done column

Re: A new browsing experience arrives in Firefox for Android Nightly

#36

Post by squiggleblaz »

input_sh wrote: post #21
squiggleblaz wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also have Firefox Preview installed on my phone. It's set as default but I basically don't use it, because: * Preview lacks support for ad blocking. * For some reason, every time I open a link in Firefox Preview, it goes into "Private" mode and there's no option to stop that from happening. I think it used to ask me, and one time I said "Private" and ever since then it's been in private mode - it asked me every tim…

Settings - Default Launcher - there's a checkbox that you can uncheck to not open random links in private tabs.

For clarity, that's Firefox Preview Settings not Android Settings. I would probably appreciate being asked since I tend to forget to close things - better to say "i want this tab only transiently, close it some time in the somewhat distant future (but, preferably, keep both transient and permanent tabs available)". Being asked to open it private is almost that.

Still leaves me with ad blocking which is probably the third most important feature of a web browser after the ability to parse and render HTML.

Re: A new browsing experience arrives in Firefox for Android Nightly

#37

Post by jamienicol »

jtwigg wrote: post #24

Firefox preview crashes on my 2019 Android phone when I attempt to upload a file to the web. I hope this is no longer the case...

It would be great if you could file an issue at https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix if that still is the case.

Re: A new browsing experience arrives in Firefox for Android Nightly

#38

Post by Koffiepoeder »

severine wrote: post #6
lol768 wrote: post #3

Given https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/5315 and https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/5630 are still open, does this represent a regression in supported functionality for nightly users?

Definitely. I don't understand how Mozilla doesn't understand that extensions, particularly content blocking (and specifically Ublock Origin) are definitional of what Firefox is and should be.

No this is definitely not a regression. Firefox launched a new app called "Firefox Preview Nightly", so as of right now both Nightly and Preview Nightly exist side by side; regular nightly users are not impacted at this point in time.

Re: A new browsing experience arrives in Firefox for Android Nightly

#39

Post by squiggleblaz »

boudin wrote: post #26
s5ma6n wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me personally, uBlock (and other extensions) is the only reason I am using Firefox on Android. If this feature is removed, I will either go back to Samsung Browser or check something else.

Web-extentions are comming, i hope that it will be fully functionnal before it replaces the current firefox https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/pull/7280

"Hope" in this case shouldn't be enough unless they also decide to bake ublock origin right in.

Re: A new browsing experience arrives in Firefox for Android Nightly

#40

Post by mjw1007 »

ohazi wrote: post #27
jonny383 wrote: post #9

If Firefox pushes this before implementing support for extensions (namely uBlock or other ad-blocking / privacy extensions) then Firefox is well and truly toast on Android. Correct me if I am wrong but the only reason non-tech people use Firefox on Android is to block ads. Perhaps this is a push from Mozilla to try and get some search revenue flowing again?

Can someone with Firefox for Android nightly confirm whether extensions are actually not available with this new release? I agree that this would be a cataclysmic regression for Mozilla, if that is indeed what they plan on releasing.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-preview-upgrade... appears to say that, yes, that is what they plan on releasing.
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