Firefox for iOS

Firefox for iOS is a free and open-source web browser from Mozilla, for the Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch mobile devices.[5] It is the first Firefox-branded browser not to use the Gecko layout engine as is used in Firefox for desktop and mobile. Apple's policies require all iOS apps that browse the web to use the built-in WebKit rendering framework and WebKit JavaScript, so using Gecko is not possible.[6] Firefox for iOS supports Firefox Sync and is able to sync Firefox's browsing history, bookmarks, and recent tabs.

Firefox for iOS
Screenshot
Firefox for iOS running on iPhone X
Developer(s)
Initial releaseNovember 12, 2015 (2015-11-12)[1]
Stable release
25.1 / May 8, 2020 (2020-05-08)[2]
Repository
Written inC, Objective-C, Swift
Operating systemiOS 11.4 and above[3]
Size82 MB[4]
TypeMobile browser
LicenseMPL
Websitemozilla.org/firefox/ios/

History

In December 2014, Mozilla announced it was designing a version of Firefox for iOS.[7] In September 2015, it released a limited preview of the app available only in the New Zealand iOS App Store.[8] In November 2016, Firefox Focus, a stripped-down version of the full browser with a specific focus on private browsing, was published in the Apple App Store.[9]

Version history
  • Version 9.0, released in September 2017, introduced tracking protection on iOS 11 (and later).[10]
  • Version 10.0, released in November 2017, introduced a redesigned user interface, corresponding to the new "Photon" UI introduced with Firefox 57 later that month.[11]
  • Version 11.0, released in April 2018, set tracking protection to be enabled by default.[12]
  • Version 12.0, released in May 2018, introduced file downloads, unified share extension, and easier syncing.[13]
  • Version 13.0, released in May 2018, introduced dark mode, tab search.[14]
  • Version 14.0, released in November 2018, introduced support for Siri shortcuts and allowing the user to pick the items to be deleted from the history.
  • Version 15.0, released in February 2019, introduced an improved menu, new tab settings, and allowing the user to drag tabs to reorder them.
  • Version 16.0, released in April 2019, introduced access to bookmarks, history, reading list, saved passwords and downloads, and includes a redesigned search bar.
  • Version 17.0. released in May 2019, introduced bookmark sync via Firefox Account.
  • Version 18.0, released in July 2019, Bookmark improvement
  • Version 19.0, released in September 2019, Tracking Protection (Enhanced Tracking Protection) redesign.
  • Version 20.0, released in October 2019, added “Clear all History” option to the history tab.
  • Version 21.0, released in December 2019, dark theme now includes a dark keyboard and dark splash screen.
  • Version 22.0, released in January 2020, Tracking Fingerprinting list for Enhanced Tracking Protection.
  • Version 23.0, released in February 2020, bug fixes and technical improvements.

Firefox Home
Firefox Home
Screenshot
Firefox Home on iOS 7.0 on an iPhone 5
Developer(s)Mozilla Corporation
Mozilla Foundation
Initial releaseSeptember 22, 2010 (2010-09-22)
Final release
1.1.1 / December 22, 2010 (2010-12-22)
Repositoryhttps://github.com/mozilla-services/ios-sync-client
Written inObjective-C
Operating systemiOS 3.1 and above
TypeBrowser synchronizer
LicenseMPL

Firefox Home was a previous project for a companion app for the iPhone and iPod Touch based on the Firefox Sync technology. It allowed users of either device to access their Firefox browsing history, bookmarks, and recent tabs. It also included Firefox's "Awesomebar" location bar. Firefox Home is not a browser; the application launches pages in either a Webkit Web viewer or in Safari.[15][16] Mozilla pulled Firefox Home from the App Store in September 2012, stating it would focus its resources on other projects. The company subsequently released the source code of Firefox Home's underlying synchronization software.[17]

Features

Firefox for iOS supports many features common to other mobile browsers, including tabs, history, and bookmarks. It also implements some unique features, including the same tracking protection as found in Firefox Focus, a new tab page mimicking that found on other versions of Firefox, and support for syncing with a Firefox account between devices.

Unlike Firefox on Android, Firefox for iOS does not support browser add-ons. Additionally, it uses Apple's Webkit rendering engine, rather than Mozilla's Gecko. Both of these limitations are in accordance with Apple's rules for submitting apps to the App Store.

See also
  • Firefox for Android – a project for Android smartphones and tablet computers
  • Firefox Focus – a privacy-focused mobile web browser
  • Firefox – Mozilla's web browser for desktop computers
  • Safari – the default web browser for iOS
  • Minimo – a previous project to create a mobile Mozilla browser
  • MicroB – a Mozilla-based mobile browser for Nokia Maemo
  • Mobile browser

References
  1. "Firefox for iOS — Notes (1.1) — Mozilla". Mozilla Foundation. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  2. "Firefox: Private, Safe Browser". App Store. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  3. "Supported Devices". Retrieved 2015-08-08.
  4. "Firefox Web Browser on the App Store". Apple Inc. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  5. Mozilla (May 22, 2015). "Update on Firefox for iOS | Future Releases". Retrieved 2015-08-08.
  6. Apple. "App Store Review Guidelines". Retrieved 2015-08-08.
  7. Mozilla Press (December 2, 2014). "Designing a Firefox Experience for iOS". Retrieved 2015-08-08.
  8. Mozilla Press (September 3, 2015). "Firefox for iOS Now Available for Preview". Retrieved 2015-10-26.
  9. Leigh, Jayme. "InsightPortal | QualityTaskForce | Firefox Focus release on iOS". www.insightportal.io. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  10. "Firefox 9.0 for iOS arrives with tracking protection, Firefox Focus for Android gets tabs | VentureBeat". venturebeat.com. Retrieved 2017-11-13.
  11. Keizer, Gregg. "Mozilla gives Firefox for iOS a UI facelift". Computerworld. Retrieved 2017-11-13.
  12. Perez, Sarah. "Firefox updates its iOS web browser to turn Tracking Protection on by default". Techcrunch. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
  13. Protalinski, Emil. "Firefox 12 for iOS arrives with file downloads, unified share extension, and easier syncing". Venturebeat. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
  14. Ravishankar, Sharath. "Firefox for iOS gains new dark mode, tab search". Neowin. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
  15. Dolecourt, Jessica (May 27, 2010). "Firefox Home: A not-quite Firefox iPhone app". Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
  16. "Firefox Home Coming Soon to the iPhone". May 26, 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-03.
  17. Keizer, Gregg (September 4, 2012). "Mozilla exits iOS as it retires Firefox Home". Computer World. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
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