Android version Firefox gets new engine and interface, but loses add-ons

Mozilla has given Firefox for Android a major update for the first time in a year. The browser has a new engine, a new look and drops support for thousands of add-ons. Users should be able to reinstall it later.

There are nine of the thousands of add-ons to install in the new version, Android Police reports. This includes popular add-ons such as uBlock Origin and HTTPS Everywhere. Developers cannot make their add-ons suitable for the new version of the browser themselves: support for this is lacking. With that, an unknown number of users lose add-ons after the update in the Play Store.

The update brings Firefox from version 68 to 79. It is based on Firefox Preview, the name under which Mozilla tested the new version of the browser last year. The interface is also different. For example, the url bar is at the bottom of the screen. There are also more options in terms of privacy and the browser must be a lot faster. The rendering engine is the new GeckoView. The update comes out for the Play Store and installation files are also on APKMirror.

Firefox for Android: old version on the left, new version on the right