This sounds like great news!
Firefox is already at the top of my list of preferred browsers on Android, but more extension support has always been on my feature wishlist.
this post was submitted on 11 Aug 2023
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You can do that now with a custom extension list
You do need firefox beta rn.
It also works on the Fennec branch for people who want a fully stable build that has full addon support, but yeah this is going to open it up to a lot more people, so hopefully more people will use Firefox
It also works on the Fennec branch
Is that still supported in some shape or form?
That's just regular Firefox with the addon restrictions and trademarks removed,. That doesn't just magically spawn API support. I thought you meant the 68.x branch which actually had broad extension support and received one additional update over Firefox 68 because the ESR branch was further updated for a bit: https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/mozilla/fennec-f-droid/fennec-f-droid-68-12-0-release/
I so miss FF 68. It was so much better than the current version.
At least some of the missing features from 68 have been restored by now.
In 2023, everyone I know refers to the version I linked as the Fennec branch. I guess I assumed you were too.
I was a bit hung up on the term 'branch' because in my understanding Fennec F-Droid falls more under patch set. Mozilla used Fennec as code name for Firefox Mobile before the GeckoView migration and I had hoped the old Fennec branch would live on in some shape or form.
Yeah I'm aware of that name's origins. People use "branch" to describe Waterfox and Mull as well. If you ask about "Fennec branch" in current year, it's what I've linked. Nearly anyone who talks about it is referring to that. Just a heads up.
Its current poor extension support is the reason I've been using Kiwi Browser, which is a basic Chromium build with full extension support, including loading from local storage.
Same here. I use custom collections on Fennec F-Droid but the inability to properly sideload keeps me on the auto rebased builds of Kiwi Browser. That and support for the black OLED theme and night mode website retheming built in.
Very glad to see this come to Firefox though! Hopefully they can also get those other bits added in.
That and Kiwi is the only Android browser with proper developer tools.
At least when using Kiwi in desktop mode (via Samsung DeX), Kiwi doesn't fill out passwords for me. There also is no interest in supporting Firefox Sync.
Same here.
That took way too long, but better late than never.
It used to be a thing, didn't it? I remember using any PC browser extension I wanted on my phone at some point and I think it was in Firefox.
Yeah it was removed when they rebuilt Firefox Android on a new engine and they deemed the extension system too unreliable at the time.
It was until FF68, when Mozilla decided that it would improve their market share if they rewrote the whole browser and kicked all their advantages down the drain.
They had issues with battery optimization and parity for a while now, but with both those issues being fixed (see: latest nightly) they can finally begin the preparations to rolling out support for ALL extensions :D
Apple needs to allow other browser engines at this point
They don't??
Nope. Every browser is basically Safari with a different coat of paint on it. It's very anti competitive and monopolistic if you ask me
Itβs very anti competitive and monopolistic if you ask me
I don't disagree, but while I would love having full Firefox on iOS, the one positive of the current situation is that it is the only thing keeping Google from a complete browser monopoly. Firefox marketshare is insignificant, and without WebKit on iOS devices, Chromium browsers would make up 95% of the browser market. I think that would be worse overall in the long-term than iPhone users being stuck with Safari skins.
I hope they would include addon sideloading as well
My ~~body~~ phone is ready.
Super excited! Firefox is already great and this will just make it more great!
About damn time, they should never have disabled it in the first place.
They didn't disable it, they rebuilt the entire browser from scratch to re-base on their current desktop-grade rendering engine, and as a result had to port a lot of things and optimize in regards to android's battery optimization.
They've finally finished doing that and can now begin the preperation for releasing this to the public.
Is there any hope for third party themes as well?
I'm just hoping for theming to come back to Firefox on Android. Really not into the new UI design either. (T_T)
That's cool
Such a cool news! Mozilla, go on!
Heck yeah, have about 5 or 6 extensions I use on the desktop version I wanna use on the mobile version!
Cool! I've been using Firefox Nightly to workaround extension limitations. I'll be able to switch back to having nicer icon colors xD
I hope that with this being official support some extensions regain full features on mobile. For example, vimperator cannot open tabs on mobile currently(using it with samsung dex)
The key takeaway from this is that they're finally rolling out their Web Manifest v3. I'm super excited
cries in Firefox on iPad
At least my phone will make use of this.
Didn't Apple announce that they were going to remove restrictions on 3rd party browsers on iPhones and iPads? You might be seeing a Gecko based Firefox soon.
Yes, but how soon? Will it be available in my country? I can't know.
I doubt they'd limit it by country, but the question of how soon is very valid. It's one of the reasons why I don't use Apple products. Their stranglehold over the ecosystem is highly annoying.
Don't buy Apple products if you don't agree with their policies.
I've been waiting for this!
Good to hear! I've been using using Kiwi, but it would be great if I can use Firefox. I would think security updates would come out quicker.
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