On Tuesday, July 26, Firefox has released an update for its iOS mobile web browser that offers a faster browsing experience as well as interface improvements.
According to MacRumors, the browser development team promises significant battery savings and faster loading times for the redesigned Firefox v5.0. Mozilla claims up to a 30 percent reduction in memory usage and up to a 40 percent reduction in CPU usage for the updated version of Firefox for iOS.
The main interface of the mobile browser has seen a number of new additions, aside from power savings and speed improvements. For instance, a new menu on the toolbar allows mobile users to achieve a quick access to frequently used features and an easier navigation.
With the introduction of an "Undo" option and "Close All Tabs" option, Tab management has become now an improved user experience on smaller screens. Users can now navigate open tabs and recover them more easily.
Users of the newly updated Firefox v5.0 can also set now their favorite site as their homepage via the Home button in the new main menu. In addition, it is also possible now to search sites with a search box using a new magnifying glass button that is located just above the keyboard.
According to PCMag, the update makes it quicker to search for things on Wikipedia, eBay, Amazon, Craigslist and other sites right from the Firefox address bar. The brand new menu on the toolbar allows mobile users to navigate easier and to get quick access to bookmarking and the ability to search for text in a page.
In a blog post announcing the changes, Nick Nguyen, Firefox VP of product, explained that improvements in the updated mobile web browser are the result of a project from Tyler Lacroix, an engineering intern. The Firefox mobile web browser for iOS is a free application that can be downloaded for iPad and iPhone. The app is available online on the App Store.
