Mozilla's Firefox browser now available for iPhone, iPad & iPod touch

Posted:
in iPhone edited November 2015
Mozilla on Thursday released a version of its popular Firefox browser for iOS, giving Apple users an additional option for browsing the Web over iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices.




The iOS version of Firefox, which had been noticeably absent from Apple's mobile devices, syncs browser history, bookmarks and open tabs across devices. Like its desktop cousin, Firefox for iOS also features privacy-friendly functions like a Private Browsing mode and the ability to clear passwords and browsing history with a single tap.

Other features include intuitive visual tabs designed to make content easier to find, as well as anticipatory search capabilities and a robust list of shortcuts to search providers. Search is available from traditional options like Google or Bing, as well as more privacy-conscious options like DuckDuckGo.

Talks that Mozilla was finally working on an iOS version of their famed browser first started in December of last year. Previously, the company had provided an app called Firefox Home that was designed solely to sync users' history & bookmarks with their Apple devices, but that was axed in 2012.

As of October of this year, Mozilla held 9.52 percentof the overall browser market, including both computers and mobile devices, according to StatCounter. That put it in third place, behind Google Chrome at 46.7 percent, and Apple's Safari with 11.96 percent.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,651member
    You may notice differences between this iOS version and the one on your desktop. Like all browsers for your iPhone they have to use Apple's Safari Webkit engine. Firefox would typically use Gecko.
  • Reply 2 of 11
    what makes you think they are forced to use the UWebView?
  • Reply 3 of 11
    bigpicsbigpics Posts: 1,397member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post



    You may notice differences between this iOS version and the one on your desktop. Like all browsers for your iPhone they have to use Apple's Safari Webkit engine. Firefox would typically use Gecko.

     

    GTK, GG.... ...thnx... 8-)

  • Reply 4 of 11
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,442member

    Wonder if this will be a resource hog like the PC versions.

  • Reply 5 of 11
    Who cares. The Desktop version is a pig. They keep pushing back the time when Gecko is done. Periodic crashes. I have more stability using WebKit2 on GTK+ than Mozilla.
  • Reply 6 of 11
    So?
  • Reply 7 of 11
    maxitmaxit Posts: 222member

    hardly a deal breaker since it can't be set as default browser under iOS.

    No reason not to use Safari in iOS. Actually I cant see a valid reason not to use Safari in OS X too....

  • Reply 8 of 11
    herbapouherbapou Posts: 2,228member
    Anyone doing a browser on AppleTV?
  • Reply 9 of 11
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,651member
    herbapou wrote: »
    Anyone doing a browser on AppleTV?
    Somebody hacked one together a few days back but nothing official AFAIK. Doesn't seem like something I'd want to do on any regular basis. If you want to view web content on your Apple TV (or any other streamer) there's better ways to go about it than an actual browser IMO.
  • Reply 10 of 11

    Not sure what it offers that others don't, and why it took so long.

     

    Meh.

  • Reply 11 of 11

    Is there anybody who managed to sync bookmarks to iPhone? Even version 1.1 update claims that functionality none of my iPhone 4s/ios 9.2 got bookmarks synced. Open tabs has synced correctly.

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