Mozilla, the company behind Firefox, has updated its mobile browser with a slew of new features. Firefox for Android is now receiving its major update in recent times with an entirely redesigned interface, new customization options and enhanced security.
The first new privacy-focused addition is the baked-in Enhanced Tracking Protection feature. Enhanced Tracking Protection offers three modes to choose from; Standard, Strict and Custom. Standard is turned on by default which helps keep fingerprinters at bay.
More in-depth protection is available under “Strict” mode, which blocks ad trackers, fingerprinting cookies and can also help improve page loading speeds. The second feature to bolster security is an update to Private Mode. With the update, you can create a private browsing shortcut on your home screen for easy access.
A handy addition for users with large display phones is the option to choose where to place the URL bar — either at the bottom or top of the screen. This will be highly beneficial for one-handed use.
Firefox for Android now has collections – a better way to keep up with your frequently visited websites instead of using bookmarks. Collections can be personalized depending on the type of search too, just like bookmarks. Collections is a resource-saver so you don’t need to have dozens of tabs open in your browser for later reading.
Firefox Android’s latest update supports Picture-in-Picture mode also, letting you watch online videos while doing other things on your device. The new browser can also be customized better with some add-ons that are already available. For now, however, there are only nine add-ons –all of them aimed at enhancing privacy and user experience.
Mozilla promises faster browsing experiences as well citing under the hood tweaks made on GeckoView, Mozilla’s own mobile browser engine. The new update is already available via Google Play.