Mozilla has rolled out the new version of Firefox for Android, introducing a browser compatible with nearly 250 million additional smartphones than before, some of which are the Samsung Galaxy Ace, the LG Optimus Q and the HTC ChaCha. Meanwhile the company also plans to launch the Firefox OS for phones in the coming year.
The browser, that up until now has only been compatible with handsets based on Android 2.2 or newer and ran on ARMv7 processors or higher, has broadened its horizons by embracing devices equipped with ARMv6. This is a major step toward making the open web free to all, a post on The Mozilla Blog says.
To run the upgraded edition however, the gadget should be fueled by an 800MHz processor and 512MB of RAM, at least. The software provides an option of syncing every device with desktop bookmarks and passwords with a view to provide easy access to personal content from anywhere.
Firefox for Android comprises of features such as the Awesome Screen replaces typing with tapping by providing a list of most regularly visited sites while it enables going through bookmarks and history as well. Also the Do Not Track attribute discourages sites from keeping an eye on users’ web choices for advertising purposes. In cases when the gadget is misplaced or has to be shared with others, the Master Password can be used to keep Firefox for phones secure.
The browser’s handset counterpart furthermore packs additional accessibility features offered by Android such as Explore by Touch, an attribute mainly designed to allow the visually impaired access the Internet, Quick Navigation, which permits skipping through the unnecessary content present in Web pages, and TalkBack, a screen reader.
The app can be customized as per one’s preference with add-ons like LastPass password manager for security, AutoPager for reading, Foursquare for social networks and more. It is also considered to be suitable for mobile video and, for gadgets running on Android 4 or 4.1, supports the h.264 format amongst many others. Moreover, buyers may find that the Android 4.2 instability and deletion of text issues have been fixed by Mozilla.
The fresh edition of Firefox for Android has already struck the Google Play store and can be downloaded for free. It is available only to users who possess phones running Android 2.2 or higher.