For the sliver of the market that opts for Firefox as a substitute of Chrome, the default browser on Android units, the expertise simply obtained higher. Firefox maker Mozilla introduced at this time the launch of over 450 new extensions — aka browser add-ons — which are actually accessible on Mozilla’s Firefox Browser Add-ons page. These extensions permit customers to customise the cell browser to their wants, whether or not that includes including anti-tracking privacy tools, content blockers, productiveness instruments or different options that introduce new experiences, like streaming music, or those who permit customers to personalize the browser’s person interface — like switching all websites to a dark mode or providing a better way to manage tabs.
The dearth of extensions has been a problem for Firefox for Android customers for years following the 2020 launch of a rebuilt version of the mobile browser that changed the app’s earlier codebase with “GeckoView,” a brand new, sooner and extra customizable browser engine. On the time, the corporate said it made a decision to restrict the supported extensions to solely these inside the “Recommended Extensions” program — which means those who have been generally put in by finish customers. This selection allowed Mozilla to shortly get the brand new browser into shoppers’ arms, however squashed the lengthy tail of extension improvement — and alternative for software program builders centered on this market.
Whereas Firefox’s nightly builds later enabled extra extensions, the publicly accessible Firefox for Android browser didn’t have entry to those lots of of extensions, which means most of Firefox’s mainstream customers have been additionally with out.
In August of this 12 months, Mozilla said it had lastly accomplished the infrastructure wanted to deliver the open extension ecosystem again to Firefox for Android. It then started to check and make lots of extra extensions accessible to Firefox for Android customers, culminating in at this time’s information that there are actually 450+ extensions accessible.
The corporate careworn the significance of getting an open ecosystem, noting that just about half of all Firefox desktop customers have an extension put in to customise their expertise.
Lots of the beneficial extensions for the Android browser have person numbers within the six digits or extra, however the app itself solely retains a small slice of the cell browser market, because of the traction that the default browsers, Chrome and Safari, have achieved on Android and iOS, respectively. On cell units, Firefox has a mere 0.5% market share as of November 2023, according to data on StatCounter. By comparability, Chrome has a 64.23% share. Safari, Samsung’s browser, Opera and others are additionally forward of Firefox within the cell browser race.
Nonetheless, the app has a small however devoted following, together with those that are in search of various choices from others past the Large Tech giants. Considered one of its key promoting factors is computerized tracker blocking, which appeals to the extra privacy-minded. Per Google Play Retailer information, Firefox for Android has topped 100 million installs to this point.
“The opportunity for innovation is vast,” stated Giorgio Natili, Firefox’s director of Engineering, in an announcement concerning the extensions’ launch. “It’s thrilling to see extension developers embrace this moment and create novel browsing experiences and features for Firefox for Android users. People don’t have to browse the mobile web in a strictly singular way anymore. With extensions, you’re free to change the way Firefox for Android looks and behaves. It’s only going to get better as more developers innovate within this exciting new space,” he added.
