Mozilla removes Hello add-on from Firefox

A notification on the Bugzilla tracker shows that Mozilla removes the Hello function from the browser from version 49. Via Hello it was possible, among other things, to have conversations with images and to share browser screens with other users.

It is not clear from the message what the reason is for the removal of the function. It was present in the browser since December 2014 and upon release enabled users to make video calls and telephone calls. The screen sharing option was added halfway through last year, followed by a chat function later.

The notification indicates that Hello will be removed from the beta of version 49 of the browser, as will the Aurora developer version 50 and nightly version 51. Mozilla employee Sören Hentzschel writes that Hello at one point will be a system add-on from Firefox has become. In addition to the previous updates, the add-on has also been worked on recently, most recently in early July. According to Hentzschel, a major update would also have been planned under the name ‘Akita’, which should make it possible to have group conversations.

As of Monday, Hello will no longer be part of the Firefox browser by default and will only be available as an ordinary add-on.