4 ms·

They already have a pdf reader they could add with ease https://github.com/mozilla/pdf.js https://github.com/mozilla/pdf.js

joecool1029 4y ago
I don't know what their priorities are but this is the extension I use on firefox mobile so that it can do what safari has been able to do since like ios 3 (open pdf's in the browser). You have to add it to a custom addon collection, which I think you can only enable in beta or nightly: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/android/addon/android-pdf-js/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/android/addon/android-pdf-j...
- jraph 4y ago
  > I don't know what their priorities are When I used Android, I was never bothered that PDFs opened in the PDF viewer. I was pretty much fine with it. The PDF viewer (not from Google, an open source app) worked pretty much like iBook with a library function, so it was convenient like this actually. It does not look like something to be fixed with high priority. Looks more like a nice to have to me. Why does it matter that they are shown in the browser?
  - joecool1029 4y ago
    Put simply: PDF content is common enough on the web that it should be viewable as a webpage without having to jump out of the browser app. It breaks the user experience and for searches that may return many pdf results, the minor hassle becomes a major impairment (having to jump between two apps now). It is the case for all desktop browsers for many years now and ios that they open in browser first, so why should it be any different for Android? I see the utility in you having an external app to view your pdf's (especially longform books in pdf would be best opened in a dedicated ebook reader app), but there is no consistent user experience on Android, each vendor has their own bundled apps, and some may not even bundle their own app.
altairprime 4y ago
See also: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34139810 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34139810

joecool1029 4y ago

I don't know what their priorities are but this is the extension I use on firefox mobile so that it can do what safari has been able to do since like ios 3 (open pdf's in the browser). You have to add it to a custom addon collection, which I think you can only enable in beta or nightly: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/android/addon/android-pdf-js/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/android/addon/android-pdf-j...

jraph 4y ago
> I don't know what their priorities are When I used Android, I was never bothered that PDFs opened in the PDF viewer. I was pretty much fine with it. The PDF viewer (not from Google, an open source app) worked pretty much like iBook with a library function, so it was convenient like this actually. It does not look like something to be fixed with high priority. Looks more like a nice to have to me. Why does it matter that they are shown in the browser?
- joecool1029 4y ago
  Put simply: PDF content is common enough on the web that it should be viewable as a webpage without having to jump out of the browser app. It breaks the user experience and for searches that may return many pdf results, the minor hassle becomes a major impairment (having to jump between two apps now). It is the case for all desktop browsers for many years now and ios that they open in browser first, so why should it be any different for Android? I see the utility in you having an external app to view your pdf's (especially longform books in pdf would be best opened in a dedicated ebook reader app), but there is no consistent user experience on Android, each vendor has their own bundled apps, and some may not even bundle their own app.

altairprime 4y ago

See also: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34139810 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34139810