Firefox for Android is getting a tablet interface

Until now, Firefox for Android isn't specifically optimized for larger tablet surfaces. In the past few days, reports have spread on many websites that this will not happen in the foreseeable future. However, the fact is that Mozilla is working on a tablet interface for Firefox.

Firefox for Android tablets – current status

Firefox for Android is not optimized for tablets. This means that Firefox uses almost the same interface as smartphones. In fact, Firefox on tablets at least displays back, forward, and reload buttons next to the address bar. Beyond that, there are no other modifications. Above all, many tablet users miss the tab bar like the desktop Firefox browser.

Clarification regarding reports from other sites

Various websites reported this week that nothing will change in the foreseeable future. that's wrong. This misinterpretation was caused by Mozilla's “response” to a user review in the Google Play Store. This basically indicates that Mozilla wants to invest in improving the tablets, but the team is currently focusing on higher priority things. However, we hope that we can start working on it as soon as time and resources allow.

As a source, something like this should always be treated with caution. After all, it's not the developers or decision makers who respond to reviews in the Google Play Store. This is done by volunteers. As an outsider, you neither know who answered nor what level of knowledge existed at the time of the answer. For topics that are frequently mentioned as comments, there are Final text units To answer. The answer referenced in the report was also a ready-made text module that had been around in this form for a long time.

Mozilla is working on a tablet version of Firefox for Android

In fact, just a couple of months ago, an actual Mozilla employee did just that Comment on BugzillaThey have reviewed the design system at the app level and hope to make greater progress on the tablet interface in the first half of 2024.

On github There now And also the first draft of a prototype patch that adds the tab bar to the tablet version of Firefox for Android. Video showing how this patch works:

By the way, Mozilla is currently working on not only improving the interface for tablets. There will also be changes to the interface for smartphone users. More on that another day.