6 ms·

Firefox for iOS Now Available for Preview in New Zealand

85 points by Aaronn 11y ago

interpol_p 11y ago
I'm not very familiar with how web browsers are built, but would it be possible to write a HTML / CSS renderer on iOS that utilised JavaScriptCore for code execution? This would abide by Apple's policies given that arbitrary code is still executed through their JavaScript engine, but would give much more flexibility on the rendering side. It would be more bespoke than simply wrapping a WKWebView. Is this a feasible path for a browser like Firefox on iOS?
kcbanner 11y ago
I'm assuming this is essentially a wrapper around WKWebView, as per Apple's rules?
- gkoberger 11y ago
  Yup! https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios http://www.myce.com/news/mozilla-working-on-firefox-for-ios-using-webkit-engine-75826/ http://www.myce.com/news/mozilla-working-on-firefox-for-ios-...
- abrowne 11y ago
  firefox: chrome for safari.
- mhurron 11y ago
  and in being so, what exactly is the point?
  - abrowne 11y ago
    I don't use iOS, but if I did, I'd use it just for multiple search engines, awesomebar history search, and history/bookmark/tab sync.
    - abritinthebay 11y ago
      but... you get all of that with Mobile Safari..?
      - blntechie 11y ago
        What he meant is that if you are a Firefox user in other platforms, you can now keep everything synced including iOS devices. It is mainly for Firefox and ex-users who left Firefox because of lack of iOS option.
      - JohnTHaller 11y ago
        But you get the ability to sync with your bookmarks, passwords, etc on platforms that run the real Firefox web browser because they don't lock you in to a single rendering engine like Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, etc.
rdsnsca 11y ago
Here is a link to the repository, for those interested : https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios It is programmed using Swift.
- st3fan 11y ago
  We love contributions. Go fork and make a pull request! <3
- lhecker 11y ago
  Thanks! Let's see if I get it compiled and can test it right now without waiting for the offical release. :> Wohooo~ Open-Source!
  - st3fan 11y ago
    As a developer, you can absolutely grab the code and run the app on your own own devices. However, there are a few manual steps that you need to take before this works. If you want to build the v1.0 app with Xcode 6, then use these instructions: https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios/blob/v1.0/BUILDING.md https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios/blob/v1.0/BUILDING.md If you want to build the (upcoming) v1.1 app with Xcode 7 beta, then use these instructions: https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios/blob/master/BUILDING.md https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios/blob/master/BUILDING.... Happy to help here or in a new thread if you get stuck in the process. We have tried to make it as simple as possible but due to some code signing complexity it can't be a 'download & run on device' kind of thing unfortunately.
gkoberger 11y ago
The separation of "Firefox" (brand, UI, browser history, password sync, extensions, etc) from "Gecko" (an implementation of a rendering engine) seems like a good idea to me, even if it was forced by Apple. Gecko stands for nothing; it's just code. Whereas the Mozilla / Firefox brand stands for things like privacy, security, etc. (https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/manifesto/ https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/manifesto/) The Firefox/Mozilla brand shouldn't be tied to Gecko or any other specific piece of code.
- hackuser 11y ago
  I agree, but they still need to deliver the other things that go with the brand: End-user control, privacy, and openness and freedom (as in speech). I don't know much about Firefox for iOS: Does it live up to those expectations?
  - gkoberger 11y ago
    Maybe, maybe not. And the Firefox brand will live or die accordingly. The nice thing about Mozilla is every line of code is Open Source; even the server stuff. That's my point, I'd rather that than have it depend on where Gecko can run.
  - userbinator 11y ago
    End-user control, privacy, and openness and freedom (as in speech). If they really wanted to support that it seems like a great opportunity to make a Gecko version of Firefox only available for jailbroken devices, and let their userbase do the rest. But given the direction they have been heading in the past few years, it seems all their talk about "end-user control" is just clever doublespeak for Mozilla doing the controlling.
    - st3fan 11y ago
      We have iOS platform support (in progress) in the main (gecko) tree now actually. If anyone is interested in putting a WKWebView compatible API on top of that, please fork the project and submit a patch. Open source! Hack. Mix. Burn! :-)
monochromatic 11y ago
Does this allow for installation of add-ons?
- st3fan 11y ago
  What kind of add-ons would you like to see?
  - anonymousab 11y ago
    Presumably any add-on supported by Firefox on Android.
    - zobzu 11y ago
      erm.. ublock :)
  - ronjouch 11y ago
    uBlock too. Or maybe it would be possible to use the upcoming iOS 9 content-blocking extensions [1], or is it a feature/api usable to Safari only? [1] https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/ios/releasenotes/General/WhatsNewInSafari/Articles/Safari_9.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40014305-CH9-SW8 https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/ios/releaseno...
    - ascagnel_ 11y ago
      The newer web view (WKWebView) will support content blocking extensions across all apps. The older web view (UIWebView) will not support content blocking at all
  - elktea 11y ago
    Lastpass, Privacy Badger, Disconnect and uBlock
- Blaaguuu 11y ago
  I imagine that would be in violation of Apple's rules around apps executing 'arbitrary' code from 3rd party sources.
JadeNB 11y ago
It's not clear to me why there's no link on the blog post (at least, I couldn't find one); but here's the product page, grabbed from one of the screen shots: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/ios https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/ios .
- o0-0o 11y ago
  That link is to signup to be notified... and to subscribe to a newsletter... and to give Moz your data. Just FYI. Anyone have a DDL?
  - JadeNB 11y ago
    I had the impression that they are intentionally rolling it out by region (the title and link mention that they're starting in New Zealand—unless that's a version name for Firefox?), so I assumed that the link went to a download page if you were in the correct region. If I haven't completely misunderstood, then maybe a New Zealander can comment.
    - dantiberian 11y ago
      They've limited downloads to NZ App Store accounts to prevent everyone from downloading it at once. This lets them do a wider beta test, and fix bugs so when they release it globally everyone else's first experience will be positive. It's common on iOS for games to do this too.
juliann 11y ago
If you guys want to download it you just need an account with an address in New Zealand.
drivebyops 11y ago
does it at least come with its own video player for vp8/vp9 videos?
robin_reala 11y ago
What’s the setup for ‘default browser’ like on iOS now? I guess you can add Firefox as a target for ‘Send to’ sheets but presumably normal links in other apps will still open Safari?

85 points by Aaronn 11y ago

I'm not very familiar with how web browsers are built, but would it be possible to write a HTML / CSS renderer on iOS that utilised JavaScriptCore for code execution? This would abide by Apple's policies given that arbitrary code is still executed through their JavaScript engine, but would give much more flexibility on the rendering side. It would be more bespoke than simply wrapping a WKWebView. Is this a feasible path for a browser like Firefox on iOS?

kcbanner 11y ago

I'm assuming this is essentially a wrapper around WKWebView, as per Apple's rules?

gkoberger 11y ago
Yup! https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios http://www.myce.com/news/mozilla-working-on-firefox-for-ios-using-webkit-engine-75826/ http://www.myce.com/news/mozilla-working-on-firefox-for-ios-...
abrowne 11y ago
firefox: chrome for safari.
mhurron 11y ago
and in being so, what exactly is the point?
- abrowne 11y ago
  I don't use iOS, but if I did, I'd use it just for multiple search engines, awesomebar history search, and history/bookmark/tab sync.
  - abritinthebay 11y ago
    but... you get all of that with Mobile Safari..?
    - blntechie 11y ago
      What he meant is that if you are a Firefox user in other platforms, you can now keep everything synced including iOS devices. It is mainly for Firefox and ex-users who left Firefox because of lack of iOS option.
    - JohnTHaller 11y ago
      But you get the ability to sync with your bookmarks, passwords, etc on platforms that run the real Firefox web browser because they don't lock you in to a single rendering engine like Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, etc.

rdsnsca 11y ago

Here is a link to the repository, for those interested : https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios It is programmed using Swift.

st3fan 11y ago
We love contributions. Go fork and make a pull request! <3
lhecker 11y ago
Thanks! Let's see if I get it compiled and can test it right now without waiting for the offical release. :> Wohooo~ Open-Source!
- st3fan 11y ago
  As a developer, you can absolutely grab the code and run the app on your own own devices. However, there are a few manual steps that you need to take before this works. If you want to build the v1.0 app with Xcode 6, then use these instructions: https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios/blob/v1.0/BUILDING.md https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios/blob/v1.0/BUILDING.md If you want to build the (upcoming) v1.1 app with Xcode 7 beta, then use these instructions: https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios/blob/master/BUILDING.md https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios/blob/master/BUILDING.... Happy to help here or in a new thread if you get stuck in the process. We have tried to make it as simple as possible but due to some code signing complexity it can't be a 'download & run on device' kind of thing unfortunately.

gkoberger 11y ago

The separation of "Firefox" (brand, UI, browser history, password sync, extensions, etc) from "Gecko" (an implementation of a rendering engine) seems like a good idea to me, even if it was forced by Apple. Gecko stands for nothing; it's just code. Whereas the Mozilla / Firefox brand stands for things like privacy, security, etc. (https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/manifesto/ https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/manifesto/) The Firefox/Mozilla brand shouldn't be tied to Gecko or any other specific piece of code.

hackuser 11y ago
I agree, but they still need to deliver the other things that go with the brand: End-user control, privacy, and openness and freedom (as in speech). I don't know much about Firefox for iOS: Does it live up to those expectations?
- gkoberger 11y ago
  Maybe, maybe not. And the Firefox brand will live or die accordingly. The nice thing about Mozilla is every line of code is Open Source; even the server stuff. That's my point, I'd rather that than have it depend on where Gecko can run.
- userbinator 11y ago
  End-user control, privacy, and openness and freedom (as in speech). If they really wanted to support that it seems like a great opportunity to make a Gecko version of Firefox only available for jailbroken devices, and let their userbase do the rest. But given the direction they have been heading in the past few years, it seems all their talk about "end-user control" is just clever doublespeak for Mozilla doing the controlling.
  - st3fan 11y ago
    We have iOS platform support (in progress) in the main (gecko) tree now actually. If anyone is interested in putting a WKWebView compatible API on top of that, please fork the project and submit a patch. Open source! Hack. Mix. Burn! :-)

monochromatic 11y ago

Does this allow for installation of add-ons?

st3fan 11y ago
What kind of add-ons would you like to see?
- anonymousab 11y ago
  Presumably any add-on supported by Firefox on Android.
  - zobzu 11y ago
    erm.. ublock :)
- ronjouch 11y ago
  uBlock too. Or maybe it would be possible to use the upcoming iOS 9 content-blocking extensions [1], or is it a feature/api usable to Safari only? [1] https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/ios/releasenotes/General/WhatsNewInSafari/Articles/Safari_9.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40014305-CH9-SW8 https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/ios/releaseno...
  - ascagnel_ 11y ago
    The newer web view (WKWebView) will support content blocking extensions across all apps. The older web view (UIWebView) will not support content blocking at all
- elktea 11y ago
  Lastpass, Privacy Badger, Disconnect and uBlock
Blaaguuu 11y ago
I imagine that would be in violation of Apple's rules around apps executing 'arbitrary' code from 3rd party sources.

JadeNB 11y ago

It's not clear to me why there's no link on the blog post (at least, I couldn't find one); but here's the product page, grabbed from one of the screen shots: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/ios https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/ios .

o0-0o 11y ago
That link is to signup to be notified... and to subscribe to a newsletter... and to give Moz your data. Just FYI. Anyone have a DDL?
- JadeNB 11y ago
  I had the impression that they are intentionally rolling it out by region (the title and link mention that they're starting in New Zealand—unless that's a version name for Firefox?), so I assumed that the link went to a download page if you were in the correct region. If I haven't completely misunderstood, then maybe a New Zealander can comment.
  - dantiberian 11y ago
    They've limited downloads to NZ App Store accounts to prevent everyone from downloading it at once. This lets them do a wider beta test, and fix bugs so when they release it globally everyone else's first experience will be positive. It's common on iOS for games to do this too.

juliann 11y ago

If you guys want to download it you just need an account with an address in New Zealand.

drivebyops 11y ago

does it at least come with its own video player for vp8/vp9 videos?

robin_reala 11y ago

What’s the setup for ‘default browser’ like on iOS now? I guess you can add Firefox as a target for ‘Send to’ sheets but presumably normal links in other apps will still open Safari?