Windows 8 will come with Microsoft's own Internet Explorer 10 for web browsing duties but if you want a secondary choice, it looks like Mozilla will be offering its own version of Firefox for Microsoft's next operating system. Mozilla revealed today via its MozillaWiki web site that it plans to release a version of its popular Firefox web browser that will work with Windows 8's Metro interface, with the first public concept release coming as soon as February.
According to the announcement:
The feature goal here is a new Gecko based browser built for and integrated with the Metro environment. Firefox on Metro, like all other Metro apps will be full screen, focused on touch interactions, and connected to the rest of the Metro environment through Windows 8 contracts.
The MozillaWiki has yet another page that goes into further detail on the organization's plans for Firefox to run on Windows 8's Metro UI. Mozilla will also release a version of Firefox that will run on Windows 8's "Classic" UI, stating:
Classic is very similar to the Windows 7 environment at this time, it requires a simple evolution of the current Firefox Windows product. Metro is an entirely new environment and requires a new Firefox front end and system integration points.
With Microsoft planning to launch the Consumer Version of Windows 8 on February 29, the first concept version of Firefox for Windows 8 Metro could be released on that same day or shortly thereafter. Public alpha and beta versions of the browser should be released in the second half of 2012.
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