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When will the Firefox app on my iPhone get better tab switching and other updates?
The Firefox browser for your iPhone and iPad will soon get useful new features. The team that builds the app recently talked with users and shared what they are working on. Two major updates that people have wanted for a long time are coming soon.
Built-in Translation
You will soon be able to translate websites directly inside the Firefox app. This means you will no longer need to copy text and paste it into a separate translation app or website. A working version of this feature is already complete and is being prepared for release.
Easier Tab View
A new swipe feature will let you see all your open tabs. You will be able to swipe up from the address bar at the bottom of the screen to open the tab view. This is much quicker than reaching for small buttons. Developers are also adding an extra improvement to make it even better than a similar feature in Safari.
Common Questions and Challenges
Many users ask about getting extensions, like ad blockers, on Firefox for iOS. This is a difficult problem to solve. The issue comes from Apple’s rules for browsers on iOS. These rules do not provide the technical support needed for desktop Firefox extensions, such as uBlock Origin, to work correctly. To offer them, developers would need to rebuild each extension from the ground up specifically for the iPhone. The Firefox team understands that users want a built-in ad blocker, similar to what other browsers like Brave offer.
Why European Rules Complicate Things
New rules in the European Union now allow for different browser technologies on iOS. However, this does not offer a simple solution for Firefox. To comply, Mozilla would need to build and maintain a completely separate version of the Firefox app just for the EU. This would double the amount of work for every feature, update, and bug fix. Mozilla and other browser makers have filed complaints because this approach is not practical.
Other Improvements in Progress
The development team is also focused on other improvements. You can expect better settings for tracking protection, more gesture controls, and general design changes to make the browser feel faster and more integrated with iOS. The team is listening to user feedback to make the app better. These upcoming changes show that Firefox for iOS is receiving important attention, with a focus on delivering the features users want most.