Firefox has been in the headlines recently because of the injection of AI Mozilla gave it, the controversy this caused, and the organization’s decision to introduce an AI kill switch. But now Mozilla is keen for us to look at the new things which are coming to the browser.
We’ve already talked a bit about Kit, the new logo-cum-companion for the web browser, but this is not all Mozilla has to offer. The company also touts new privacy and personalization options, and productivity tools such as Smart Windows and split view.
There are new options for tab and browser windows. Split view is pretty self-explanatory, giving you an easy way to view two web pages side by side. This is the sort of feature which is useful when conducting research, so it is nicely complemented by Tab Notes. This new feature makes it possible to add notes to any tab so you can keep track of thoughts and ideas.
If these sound like things that could be useful to you, there is not long to wait until you can get your hands on them. Mozilla says that Split view is rolling out in Firefox 149 on March 24, while Tab Notes will be available in Firefox Labs 149 starting March 24.
On the privacy side of things, there is a new integrated VPN coming to the browser in the very near future. Mozilla says:
A free built-in VPN is coming to Firefox. Free VPNs can sometimes mean sketchy arrangements that end up compromising your privacy, but ours is built from our data principles and commitment to be the world’s most trusted browser. It routes your browser traffic through a proxy to hide your IP address and location while you browse, giving you stronger privacy and protection online with no extra downloads. Users will have 50 gigabytes of data monthly in the U.S., France, Germany and U.K. to start. Available in Firefox 149 starting March 24.
Sharing some thought about what the future hold for the web browser, Ajit Varma – the head of Firefox – says:
The roadmap for Firefox this year is the most exciting one we’ve developed in quite a while. We’re solely focused on building the best browser, and our features over the next few months and beyond are driven by the feedback from our community. We’re improving the fundamentals like speed and performance. We’re also launching innovative new open standards in Gecko to ensure the future of the web is open, diverse, and not controlled by a single engine. At the same time we’re prioritizing features that give users real power, choice and strong privacy protections, built in a way that only Firefox can. And as always, we’ll keep listening, inviting users to help shape what comes next and giving them more reasons to love Firefox.
Find out more here.
