Jolla Releases Sailfish OS 4 With New Browser And App Sandbox

Jolla has released Sailfish OS 4. The new version of the operating system is called Koli, and includes an improved browser and a sandbox for recently installed apps that prevent them from accessing the rest of the OS.

Jolla says Sailfish OS 4.0.1 named Koli is the biggest update to the operating system in a long time. One of the biggest changes to the new operating system is the browser, a feature users have been asking for for some time. According to the makers, the browser is based on Firefox with an improved rendering engine. That is now Gecko version ESR60. This means that the browser now supports Rust, which means that the makers can release updates faster and easier. The browser also gets new privacy controls, such as the ability to set permissions per site.

Also new in Sailfish OS 4 is a sandbox for apps. It’s called Firefail. New apps that are downloaded are immediately put in that sandbox. There, users can set permissions for the app without the app having further access to the rest of the operating system. Jolla says developer mode will remain available to users who still want to install apps in other ways.

In addition to the new features, Sailfish OS 4 also has an improved ux with minor changes here and there, and several standard apps such as the contact list get a new look. There is now also a QR reader in the camera app, and some notifications, including those from e-mail, are also interactive so that users can respond directly from the notification.