Firefox Focus

Last updated
Firefox Focus
Developer(s) Mozilla Foundation
Mozilla Corporation
Initial releaseDecember 7, 2015;8 years ago (2015-12-07) [1]
Stable release
124.1.0 / March 21, 2024;18 days ago (2024-03-21) [2]
Repository
Engine
Type Mobile browser, Ad-Blocker
License MPL 2.0
Website www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browsers/mobile/focus/   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Firefox Focus is a free and open-source privacy-focused mobile browser by Mozilla, based on Firefox. It is available for Android [4] [5] and iOS smartphones and tablets. [6] [7] Its predecessor, Focus by Firefox, was released in December 2015 as a tracker-blocking application which worked only in conjunction with the Safari mobile browser on iOS. [8] [9] It was developed into a minimalist web browser in 2016 but retained this background blocking functionality. [10] The Android version of the browser was first released in June 2017 and was downloaded over one million times in the first month. [11] As of January 2017, it was available in 27 languages. [12] The version released for German-speaking countries has telemetry disabled and is named Firefox Klar to avoid ambiguity with the German news magazine FOCUS . [13] [14]

Contents

Tracking protection

Firefox Focus is designed to block online trackers, including third-party advertising, with the end goal of both improving browsing speed and protecting users' privacy. Content blocking is achieved using the Disconnect block lists. [15] [16] The blocking of third-party trackers (except "other content trackers") is enabled by default. In the other Firefox browsers, users have to enable the tracking protection feature inside the browser preferences manually. [17] Users can also view types of trackers on a page by tapping on the shield icon next to the URL bar. A panel will pop-up and shows what kind of trackers are on that page: ad trackers, analytics trackers, social trackers or content trackers. [18]

On December 20, 2018, Mozilla announced that Firefox Focus now checks all URLs against the Google Safe Browsing service to help prevent people from accessing fraudulent sites. [19]

To bypass content-blocker restrictions from Apple, Firefox Focus uses the UIWebView API on iOS devices. [20] On Android, it used the Blink engine in version 6.x and earlier, and it has used GeckoView since version 7.0. [21]

Functions and integrations

Firefox Focus can be set as content-blocker in the Safari web browser options. [22] After activating the Safari integration in the Firefox Focus settings, it will disable trackers automatically in the background when browsing using the Safari browser.

Pressing the trash icon while browsing will delete all session data, and return to the start screen (i.e. display the customisable search bar). Tabs can be opened by long-pressing a URL on a website. Favourite links can be set on the home screen of the device.

Firefox Focus contains a option called telemetry. By activating it, users can allow Mozilla to collect and receive non personal-identifiable information to improve Firefox. [23] Due to privacy concerns, telemetry of Firefox Klar is disabled by default. [24]

Beginning July 2018, Firefox Focus was preinstalled on the BlackBerry Key2 Android smartphone as part of the application Locker. [25] [26]

October 15, 2018, Mozilla announced that Firefox Focus is being updated with a new search feature and visual design. That means the browser will conceptually tell users about its features and options. [27]

Minimum device requirements

Apple mobile devices

There are some minimum hardware requirements to remove tracking contents. The mechanism needs hardware that can handle the extra load of content blocking so it only works on 64-bit devices running iOS 9 and above including: [28]

As of February 2021, iOS 11.4 or above is required to download Firefox Focus on the App Store. [29]

Android mobile devices

Android version 5.0 or higher is required to use the latest version of Firefox Focus. [30]

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. ↑ "Focus by Firefox - Content Blocking tor the Open Web - Mozilla". Mozilla Foundation . Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  2. ↑ "Firefox Focus: The privacy browser - Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
  3. ↑ "Firefox Focus with GeckoView – Mozilla Hacks - the Web developer blog". Mozilla Hacks – the Web developer blog. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  4. ↑ Mozilla. "Firefox Focus Browser" . Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  5. ↑ Ellis, Cat (June 20, 2017). "Firefox Focus private browser arrives on Android". TechRadar . Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  6. ↑ Fingas, Jon (November 17, 2016). "Firefox Focus brings easy private browsing to your iPhone". Engadget . Archived from the original on February 18, 2019. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  7. ↑ Hern, Alex (November 18, 2016). "Firefox Focus: new app offers very private browsing". The Guardian . Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  8. ↑ Nguyen, Nick (8 December 2015). "Announcing Focus by Firefox, a Content Blocker for iOS". Future Releases. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  9. ↑ Vilches, Jose (November 18, 2016). "Firefox Focus for iOS makes private browsing quick and easy". TechSpot. Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  10. ↑ Nguyen, Nick (November 17, 2016). "Introducing Firefox Focus – A Free, Fast Private Browser for iPhone". Mozilla Foundation . Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  11. ↑ Berger, Daniel (July 21, 2017). "Firefox Klar Eine Million Downloads". heise online (in German). Archived from the original on June 23, 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  12. ↑ Nguyen, Nick (January 25, 2017). "Firefox Focus Now Available in 27 Languages" . Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  13. ↑ "What is Firefox Focus?". Mozilla Foundation . Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  14. ↑ "I can't find Firefox Focus in Germany, Austria or Switzerland | Firefox Klar Help". support.mozilla.org. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
  15. ↑ focus-android: Firefox Focus: The privacy browser - Browse like no one's watching, Mozilla Mobile, 2017-11-13, retrieved 2017-11-13
  16. ↑ Brewster, Thomas (November 17, 2016). "The iPhone Just Got A New Super-Private Firefox Browser". Forbes . Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  17. ↑ "Tracking Protection | Firefox Help". support.mozilla.org. Retrieved 2017-11-13.
  18. ↑ Travers, Andrew (February 15, 2018). "Browse, erase, repeat". trvrs.co. Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-19.
  19. ↑ Lardinois, Frederic (December 20, 2018). "Firefox Focus adds support for enhanced tracking protection and Google's Safe Browsing service". TechCrunch . Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  20. ↑ Braun, Herbert (August 12, 2015). "Mozilla veröffentlicht Content-Blocker für iOS". heise online (in German). Archived from the original on December 31, 2017. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  21. ↑ "What's new in Firefox Focus for Android (version 7) | Firefox Focus Help". support.mozilla.org. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  22. ↑ Orgera, Scott (August 17, 2018). "Firefox Focus Browser for iOS". Lifewire . Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  23. ↑ Mozilla Wiki: Telemetry
  24. ↑ Telemetry Readme - Firefox Focus on GitHub "Builds of "Focus for Android" have telemetry enabled by default ("opt-out") while builds of "Klar for Android" have telemetry disabled by default."
  25. ↑ "New Features in Firefox Focus for iOS, Android – now also on the BlackBerry Key2". Mozilla Foundation. July 12, 2018. Archived from the original on August 22, 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  26. ↑ Carrasqueira, João (July 12, 2018). "Firefox Focus gets new Features on Android and iOS and comes to the latest Blackberry". Neowin . Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  27. ↑ Peters, Jared (October 15, 2018). "Firefox Focus for Android gets a big update with search suggestions and a new design". TalkAndroid. Archived from the original on January 5, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  28. ↑ "support.mozilla.org - Firefox Focus requirements" . Retrieved 2018-07-20.
  29. ↑ "Firefox Focus: Privacy browser by Mozilla". iTunes . Retrieved 2018-12-23.
  30. ↑ "Firefox Focus: The privacy browser".
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