If Firefox is your desktopbrowser of choice, you might have several extensions installed to avoid some common annoyances. Ads and cookie consent forms, for example, can be limited and managed through the use of Firefoxextensions. However, Mozilla has featured limited support for these tools in the mobile version of the browser. Now, Firefox 120 is expected to launch in a much different direction.
In an update posted to its blog on November 1,Mozilla announcedthat Firefox 120 will feature at least 200 new Android extensions. When it debuts in December, Firefox mobile will be backed by a “fully open” extension ecosystem. Mozilla is encouraging developers to migrate to this ecosystem and create extensions to resolve recurring internet browsing problems. As a bonus, it pointed out that there is currently an opportunity for developers to tap into an abundance of discoverability.
In a separate blog post published in August 2023,Mozilla hintedthat it would be focusing on launching its extension ecosystem for Android. It also announced that extensions were no longer being hosted in the main process of the browser’s user interface. This change was made to accommodate Android, which is more likely to kill resource-hogging processes like extensions. Now, non-persistent event page architecture is in place — this means that developers can introduce extensions that are less prone to crashing on Android. Mozilla provided information and guidelines on how to create more stable extensions at the time.
Mozilla hasn’t always been quick to roll out features to improve the user experience. Nonetheless, Firefox developers seem intent on keeping up with the evolving needs of users. In August 2023, for instance,Firefox Relay was integrated into the browserto enhance privacy. With this feature, you could use Firefox and rest assured that your email was being shielded from social media sign-ups, form submission prompts, and more. Previously, Firefox Relay was available as an add-on, rather than baked into the browser. Through this measure, Mozilla made it easier for Firefox users to maintain privacy and data security.
While not everyone relies on extensions to enhance their browsing experience, it’s hard to argue with their usefulness. Given how easy it is to open a browser like Chrome or Firefox, you may not think twice about minor hang-ups, like ads or cookie consent. With more companies looking for consumer data, however, these annoyances are bound to grow — and perhaps Mozilla’s extension ecosystem is arriving just in time.
