For the segment of the market that chooses Firefox instead of Chrome, the default browser on Android devices, the experience just got better. Mozilla, the maker of Firefox, today announced the launch of more than 450 new extensions – also known as browser add-ons – now available on the Mozilla website. Firefox add-ons page. These extensions allow users to customize the mobile browser to their needs, whether that includes an add-on Anti-tracking privacy tools, content BlockersOr productivity tools or other features that offer new experiences, e.g music streaming, Or those that allow users to customize the browser’s user interface – e.g Convert all websites to dark mode Or submit a A better way to manage tabs.
The lack of add-ons has been a problem for Firefox for Android users for many years A rebuilt version of the mobile browser will be launched in 2020 Which replaced the application’s previous code base with “GeckoView”, a new, faster and more customizable browser engine. At that time the company He said he made a decision To limit supported extensions to only those in the Recommended Extensions program – i.e. those that are commonly installed by end users. This choice allowed Mozilla to get the new browser into consumers’ hands quickly, but it squashed the long tail of extension development — and an opportunity for software developers focused on that market.
While Nightly Firefox releases later made more extensions available, the publicly available Firefox for Android browser did not have access to these hundreds of extensions, meaning that most major Firefox users were also without them.
In August of this year, Mozilla said You’ve finally completed the infrastructure needed to bring the extension’s open ecosystem back to Firefox for Android. It then began testing and making hundreds of additional Firefox extensions available to Android users, culminating in today’s news that there are now over 450 extensions available.
The company stressed the importance of an open ecosystem, noting that nearly half of Firefox desktop users have an extension installed to customize their experience.
Many recommended Android browser extensions have six-digit or more user numbers, but the app itself only holds a small slice of the mobile browser market, due to the traction the default browsers, Chrome and Safari, have achieved on Android and iOS, respectively. On mobile, Firefox only has a 0.5% market share as of November 2023, According to StatCounter data. In comparison, Chrome holds a 64.23% stake. Safari, Samsung’s browser, Opera, and others are also ahead of Firefox in the mobile browser race.
However, the app has a small, but loyal following, including those looking for alternative options from others outside the major tech giants. One of its main selling points is its automatic tracking blocking, which appeals to people who are more concerned about privacy. According to Google Play Store data, Firefox for Android has surpassed 100 million installations to date.
“The opportunity for innovation is huge,” Giorgio Natelli, Firefox’s director of engineering, said in an interview advertisement About launching plugins. “It’s exciting to see extension developers embracing this moment and creating new browsing experiences and features for Firefox for Android users. People don’t have to browse the mobile web in a solitary way anymore. With extensions, you have the freedom to change the way Firefox for Android looks and works He added: “It will only get better as more developers innovate in this exciting new space.”