Mozilla has released what should be the final update for its old Firefox for Android browser. In the next release cycle, which is due in about a month, the firm should switch users to its newly-built browser as the default option. Mozilla codenamed its new browser Fenix but when it launches to the general public, it will be known as Firefox. The firm has been working on the new browser for over a year and is continually adding new features.
While the desktop browser is now on version 79, the main Android browser has been stuck on Firefox 68 and just received point release updates to patch bugs. Firefox 68 launched on July 9, 2019, and is beginning to feel stale when compared to Chrome and other browsers available on Android. The brand new version of Firefox uses GeckoView which should make browsing quicker and Mozilla has completely overhauled the look and feel of the browser compared to Firefox 68.
Unlike the existing Firefox for Android browser, the new version only has a limited selection of add-ons to install. In one respect, this is good because it gives Mozilla a chance to test the add-ons and ensure they work correctly in a mobile environment, on the other hand, you could be left without some of the add-ons you use at the moment. Mozilla is always expanding the list of add-ons available but depending on which ones you use, you could be waiting a while until they’re are approved.
If you want to test out the new browser, you can install Firefox Nightly or Firefox Beta from the Google Play Store. What you see with those is what you can expect next month when Mozilla releases it on the stable branch.