Mozilla’s New Version of Firefox for iOS

Mozilla is finally launching a version of Firefox and is trying browser foothold on iOS which is the operating system that powers Apple’s iPhones and iPads. According to Twitter accounts from many at the meeting, Vice President, Johnathan Nightingale of Firefox at Mozilla informed the Mozilla community members at the non-profit organizations’ Mozlandia event in Portland, about the idea.

 Lukas Blakk, Mozilla Release Manager stated that they need to be where their users were and hence they are going to get Firefox on iOS, probably relating an account of Nightingale’s speech in a tweet that TechCrunch spotted. Mozilla’s Manager of data science, Matthew Ruttley had added his comments in his tweet stating that `Firefox for iOS! Let’s do it’, while other community members of Mozilla chimed in with their accounts with regards to the news at the event quoting Nightingale as well as Mozilla President Li Gong.

This could be a move in changing the strategic direction for Mozilla one among many as the non-profit organization attempts of new system to retain its influence in the face of challenges comprising of the mounting popularity of Google’s Chrome browser with Firefox’s light presence in the smartphone as well as tablet market wherein users tend to spend more and more of their computing activities.

Mozilla’s Mission

Mozilla’s mission, a decade ago was to overtake the dominance of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and the top priority now is to bring an openness to the present to what the organisation envisages as the `jails’ of iOS and Android. Junior, a browser for iOS was showed by Mozilla in 2012 but the outcome of it did not bear much result and then in 2013, Mozilla decided that it would not build Firefox for iOS due to objections to the limits that Apple had placed on third party browsers.

The presence on smartphones as well as tablets is vital for Mozilla’s effort in remaining relevant in the present computing world and Firefox seems to be a significant presence on the Web and in charting standards which make the Web a viable competitor to Android, iOS, Windows and OS X though its share is dropping. As per figures from analytics firm StatCounter, Firefox has dropped to 11.6 percent of usage as a share of desktop and mobile browsing while on tablets and smartphones, its share of usage in November was around 0.5 percent.

Improvement for Third Party Browser Developers

Mozilla has diversified out to mobile with versions of Firefox for Google’s Android OS together with its own Firefox OS for lower end smartphones though Firefox for iOS is different which is due to the fact that Apple does not allow other browser engine on its mobile OS on the contrary third party browsers like Google’s Chrome together with Opera’s Coast, utilise Apple supplied engine.

As for Mozilla it is important since it undercuts the organization’s mission to use Firefox to encourage the use of open Web technologies rather than technologies locked to a single company’s computing platform. However, Apple has made improvement in conditions for third party browser developers wherein the browser engine supplies faster running of Web based JavaScript programs which mean that the third party browsers can be a better match to Safari’s own performance on iOS.

Firefox 22 and Blocking Third Party Cookies!

Release of Firefox 22 is going to happen on or before 25 th June. From the 25 th of June and the release of Firefox 22, third-party cookies, especially those operated for advertising, will be blocked by default in the Firefox browser. Barring unforeseen circumstances, it is from the June 25 release date of Firefox 22, the Mozilla browser will block third-party cookies by default. The implementation of the new rule is ongoing and the browser version is now in phase Aurora (before then the Beta and the general availability).

Specifically, these are the cookies from non-visited at least once by the user will be blocked by default areas. This new cookie management rule includes advertising cookies. This new initiative by Mozilla already used by Apple Safari was strongly criticized by leading industry associations to online advertising, including the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) and the ANA (Association of National Advertisers).

In Europe and in France, it is the Asic (Association of Community Internet sites) that has seized the issue and called on governments to oppose what it calls a violation of net neutrality. The ASIC is also concerned about a risk of challenge to free a number of online services.

This measure, if it happens, might have an impact on the generated many publishers and users of creative platforms made available by Internet intermediaries and ultimately deliver free of advertising revenue certain services to users said one the critic.

Mozilla Launches Firefox OS in Europe

The world press has an appointment at the press conference of Mozilla, on the eve of the opening of the doors of the Mobile World Congress 2013. The foundation has announced the launch of Firefox OS in nine countries this summer.  From the beginning of the summer and then by the end of the year, Firefox OS phones will be available in Spain, Brazil, Colombia, Hungary, Mexico, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia and Venezuela. Mozilla target is clear: emerging markets (Brazil, Poland etc, and or economically constrained Spain and other countries) where the next billion people online.

The first wave of phones in Firefox OS reflects this choice: the models presented by Alcatel (One Touch Fire), ZTE (Open), LG and Huawei are positioned on the bottom and midrange. The entire product will use Snapdragon chips Qualcomm worked hand in hand with Mozilla. There is no competition to the iPhone or the Galaxy S III in Firefox OS, a strategic choice also allows Mozilla to not directly confront iOS and Android.  In Nitot’s own statement, "We must offer something to emerging markets; this is not an iPhone to € 800 which will be in charge”.

Firefox comes with OS Firefox Marketplace. The Firefox OS app are those third-party developers such as those proposed by default - are neither more nor less than web apps. But they can use all the material resources of the camera and store data locally to work offline. Again, Mozilla is surrounded by many partners: Nokia provides data mapping solution integrated offer several EA games in the Marketplace. But Firefox Marketplace will not only catalog apps for Firefox OS: developers can distribute their own apps and operators can offer their own shops with their own billing solution.

A hybrid model and Mozilla tries to hybridize and web apps. The search field in Firefox OS will look in both your installed apps in the Marketplace on the Web. If you choose an app that you do not have it installed, it will start instantly without installing as if it was nothing more than a website. Mozilla does not merely duplicate existing systems, but is force proposal - and hope that consumers will notice.

Mozilla confirms the failure of WebM

Mitchell Baker, President of Mozilla, and Brendan Eich, CTO, are both back on the discussions that took place within the organization concerning the adoption of H.264 in Firefox (Mozilla read opens a gap in H. 264).

Brendan Eich explains in a note the reasons that led to this shift to 180 degrees in May 2010, Adobe announced that Flash would support the VP8 (this is where the video portion of WebM) and January 2011 Google announced the abandonment of H.264 in Chrome "in the coming months". None of these ads has been happening since.

The Termination Version Number In Firefox -2

For companies has been put on the table. On this point Dotzler explains that the emphasis is on the home user ("the individual") in defining the evolution of the interface. While another (and new) group, seconded that thought process, liaising with the companies. But then how to know if you have the latest version of the browser? Instead of a number, the about window will display a message such as "Firefox has verified the presence of an updated X minutes ago, you use the latest version". Information that was already in applications with a search feature updates. And if the connection is not present, not allowing any audit, the browser could then display its number or, more likely, indicate how long he could not confirm the existence of a review. This principle no longer rely on the version number is also in the sense of a mode in which the browser receives updates say silent, taking place in the background without the user's initiative. The latest iterations of Firefox will update in seconds with just one application restart to complete the transaction Mozilla's policy with its new round of rapid development is to get users to update as regularly as possible. From there, it is likely that the concept becomes more abstract version. We see it with Chrome, launched three years ago, its output at a steady pace took him for quite a while with two-digit numbers (the 15 is in development ...)! Firefox follows this example, the six arrived June 16 and 9 (most distant at present) should be completed by the end of the year. It was not specified in the conversation when the new policy will be applied. In versions 7, 8 and 9 in preparation, there is still a mix between the version number and build date.

The Termination Version Number In Firefox -1

Mozilla plans to do a lot with version numbers for Firefox. This decision is subject to fairly sharp exchanges in the forums of the foundation are to remove almost completely any reference to the encrypted version of the software, including the inevitable about window. Already on the download page for development versions of Firefox there is no mention of their number, but their progress "Aurora" for alpha and "Beta" for the latest. This principle should also apply to the general download page for final drafts. On older versions of Firefox, such as 3, it was instead the specific details of the version number to the Gecko rendering engine. With 5 and 6 for example have all been cleaned for much. To justify this decision was endorsed with the teams of the user interface and is being set up, As a Dotzler at Mozilla, said he is heading to the prevailing principle with Web applications that use always the latest version, without asking more questions. "Which version of Gmail do you use?" he starts at a time to an opponent to support his argument that the version of software tools no longer necessarily the value given him so far. What a user has countered that, unlike a remote Internet service, he had his hand on locally installed software on his machine. Not to mention about some situations where this information is useful if not essential (eg technical assistance or any problems of compatibility with third-party software). To these critics Dotzler said consistently that the number, in case of real need, would in any case submitted through the Help menu> troubleshooting information. And for web developers who want their eyes, extensions are available for display in the title bar of the browser.

Firefox6 is finalized for August 16

The sixth version of Firefox will be available August 16, but we can already get the one that, unless last-minute problems should be the final [6.0 - 28.6 MB]. Few changes on the surface but there are at least one detail. Thus, in page addresses, the domain name of the site visited is highlighted with the rest of the URL. One way to fight against phishing, with sites that appear legitimate in their presentation while a simple glance of years show that the URL was wrong. Also note, this time in terms of gaps, lack of support of the special Lion (display options lifts, gestures to navigate through the pages and full screen views).

Google improves search in Chrome

Google has introduced three new features to its search engine for computers. Two are reserved for users of Chrome, Google's browser; even if we can assume that the compatibility will be extended to other browsers in a second time.

Issue of mobile voice search is now also accessible from the desktop version of Google. Operation is very simple: when it is available, a microphone appears in the search field. Simply click and dictate the request to search. This function is reserved for Chrome, it's actually an API created by HTML 5 and Google is clearly not used elsewhere in Chrome, since version 11.

Also new this time open to all browsers, the search images. This feature was also initially being available on mobile devices with Google Goggle: the search engine will scan the image and search based on what he finds. Several possible uses such as finding the name of a plant or building are simply a different way of search.

Google is proposed three ways to launch a search with an image. The simplest is undoubtedly the drag / drop an image into the search field of Google, but probably not only work on all browsers. In all cases, you can also click on the icon of camera added to the search field to select an image on your hard drive, or even just copy / paste an image. Google has even developed an extension for Chrome and Firefox.

The third novelty of the day does once again that Chrome. Google still wants to speed up the search for the users of its browser by loading in advance the first search result. The company is betting that the first result is the one most likely to correspond to your research and place it in the browser cache. When you click on the link, it loads immediately.

Effective if we are to believe the video, but it will wait a bit to use this feature. Google says you can test it with the development branch of Chrome, but that the domestic beta is expected soon to experience it. It should be a priori accessible to as many people in Chrome 13.

Firefox could lose the support of Ubuntu

The Linux world is much more complex than Windows or Mac OS, with a large number of distributions can be very different. If anyone who knew how to stand out, however, it is Ubuntu. The distribution is used by millions of people around the world and even if that system is far from the success of Apple's and Microsoft, its weight in the Linux world is enormous.

So when Mark Shuttleworth, CEO of Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, is in favor of abandoning Firefox as the default browser of its system in favor of Chrome, the information does unnoticed. The man is known for its radical choices and often disputed, such as a completely new interface (Unity) in Ubuntu 11.04. We also knew Mark Shuttleworth fan of Google products and think clearly to impose his views by putting forward the browser from search giant.

Nothing is done yet and the next version of Ubuntu numbered 11.10 and expected to fall still keep Firefox as default browser. Even following the 4.12 that should land in spring 2012, could still keep Firefox as the default choice, but it might be the last version.

For inexperienced users, this change would be insignificant because they can always install Firefox and make it the default browser. But for all new users attracted by the simplicity Ubuntu, it certainly means a change in browser. Firefox is not in great shape these days, here's some news that should not help the Mozilla browser, if it ever materializes.

HTML5 video: they redid the game?

Google has decided to remove the H.264 support in its browser within two months. The reason stated for this choice: the promotion and support of open formats to the detriment of the open standard (but not least the owner) what is H.264.

Here is another episode in the long battle that pits two camps around the HTML5 video tag. WebM supporters are surprised to dream that such support is crucial to switch things ... The Free Software Foundation does not hide his enthusiasm after the announcement. But despite the undeniable weight of Google, it will take much to tip the current balance of things.

Let's start by estimating the forces in place. In the field of computer browsers, only Safari and Internet Explorer remain in the camp of H.264, while Firefox, Opera and now Chrome (which was previously the only browser to support both formats) are in the camp WebM. Regarding the effective support of HTML5, only IE9 (0.46% market share), Safari 4 + (5.41%), Firefox 3.5 + (21.09%), Opera 10.5 (2%) Chrome and 3 + (9.8%) support the video tag, at least among the browsers on your computer. This still represents a minority of all browsers currently used.

Because we must not omit mobile devices, particularly iOS, whose inability to read from Flash was one of the drivers of the adoption of H.264 on the web. If not iOS assumes "only" 1.69% market share of operating systems (all machines together), it is nonetheless the backbone of mobile platforms, a highly strategic area. Other mobile OS also offer all native support for H.264, with hardware acceleration that makes reading more energy efficient.

Change of strategy

Overall, the whole approach of the Apple security that Charlie Miller and castigated early March, although he conceded being "somewhat responsive to bugs that has been providing it with:" Apple does not pay security researchers. Apple assumes that it has no security problem and did not need to work with researchers. "Worse, he said," Apple is certainly capable of producing a safe product, but do just not yet made the effort. "And, in fact, Apple may have changed his tune: he moreover subject - among others - pre-release version of Mac OS X Leo.

In addition, Apple has recently recruited several experts in computer security: David Rice, a former NSA, Ivan Krstic, former director of the OLPC, or Windows Snyder, who has contributed to strengthening the security of Firefox.

And he has this apparent convergence between Mac OS X iOS. Apple uses sandboxing widely within IOS, but not in Mac OS X, maybe it will evolve. ALSR arrived in IOS with version 4.3, its use may be extended with Leo. Code signing is also utilized to secure iOS. With the Mac App Store, it used to protect applications distributed through this, against piracy. But perhaps Apple plans to go further ...