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Mozilla Working on 'Junior' Web Browser for iPad

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Back in mid-2010, Mozilla released Firefox Home, an iOS app designed to sync users' Firefox histories, bookmarks, and open tabs from their desktops to their iOS devices. Several months later, Mozilla acknowledged that it had no plans to bring a full-fledged Firefox browser to iOS, due in part to "technical and logistical restrictions" that would make it difficult to create an acceptable user experience on the platform.

mozilla_junior_screenshots.jpg



While Mozilla apparently still has no desire to try to replicate Firefox on iOS, The Verge reports that Mozilla has been working on a stripped-down browser known as "Junior" that is intended to simplify and improve the browsing experience on iOS.
"So here comes the fun stuff," said Alex Limi as he began discussing the prototype iPad browser Mozilla has been working on for several months. "We wanted to make something entirely new. We wanted to look into how we could reinvent the browser for a new form factor," he said.
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Junior offers a full-screen experience for users that forgoes tabs and relies on a pair of navigation buttons at the side of the screen to access the browser's functions. Navigation is accomplished through a separate page showing recently-visited pages, bookmarks, and a unified address/search bar. Junior also supports the creation of multiple user accounts, recognizing that the iPad is frequently shared among members of a household.

​
Mozilla still has a fair amount of work to do on Junior, and thus it will likely not be making a public appearance for some time, but it could add another notable browsing name for iOS users to consider as Google has also been reported to be bringing Chrome to iOS.

Update: A Mozilla spokesperson has contacted MacRumors to clarify that Junior is still in the experimental stage and may never see a public release.
Junior is an early-stage experimental project and is not confirmed for development by Mozilla or for a future version of Firefox. All projects and experiments at Mozilla are developed in the open to gather ideas and feedback.
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Article Link: Mozilla Working on 'Junior' Web Browser for iPad
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/18/mozilla-working-on-junior-web-browser-for-ipad/
Too little, too late

It would take one heck of a browser to have me give up the Atomic Web Browser. I've tried quite a few and it's the best.
 
Mad Mac Maniac said:
until Apple allows users to change their default web browser on iOS, no other browser will ever pick up steam.

AND this is something that if Apple doesn't allow soon, I could see becoming a legal issue over the next couple years.

See: Microsoft & IE in the 90's
Click to expand...

Exactly. No browser serves any real purpose on iOS. Maybe one of the few things I miss on Android, but not really that much. After all, my droid would never have gotten Chrome for Android.
 
JimmyTheKnife said:
It would take one heck of a browser to have me give up the Atomic Web Browser. I've tried quite a few and it's the best.
Click to expand...
Ditto, though it does have its days.

Anymore, I'm switching from Mozilla on my other systems. They're just doing some things that make me go...WHY?! A separate page for navigation? Oh boy. I have full screen on Atomic and I keep my navigation in the usual area. It's there for a reason.
 
AustinIllini said:
Exactly. No browser serves any real purpose on iOS. Maybe one of the few things I miss on Android, but not really that much. After all, my droid would never have gotten Chrome for Android.
Click to expand...

I disagree (though i may be biased :), I think third party browsers at a lot of functionality on iOS. You can do things with browsers like Atomic and iCab that you just can't with Safari (changing user agent, "plug-in" like javascript functions, seeing page source, downloading, uploading, lowering the brightness further from the lowest setting (great when in total darkness)).

They surely aren't as convenient as Safari or as fast, but they do offer some nice extras that Safari is missing. I expect Google will eventually make some variant of Chrome for iOS - it probably doesn't matter much if the web engine is UIWebview, as it would still let people sync their Chrome data between device and desktop. IMO the "chrome" outside of the rendering window is at least as important in making a useful browser.
 
Mozilla has been working on a stripped-down browser known as "Junior" that is intended to simply and improve the browsing experience on iOS.
Click to expand...

Really? Safari is too complex? I really don't see how it could be any simpler without it losing vital functionality.
 
Rude

This guy is rude and unprofessional. He is also a very crappy speaker... I won't ever use this browser because of him.

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barredfreak said:
Do whatever you want, Mozilla. Just don't call it Junior.
Click to expand...

Junior is also what they call their *"Firemen"!

*South Park Reference
 
1080p said:
Aren't all web browsers for iOS just a wrapper for Safari? What's the point of that?
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I'd love a browser that syncs my bookmarks with chrome, which I use on my Mac.
I even tried switching to safari on the Mac, but it lacks some really important features.
 
Mad Mac Maniac said:
until Apple allows users to change their default web browser on iOS, no other browser will ever pick up steam.

AND this is something that if Apple doesn't allow soon, I could see becoming a legal issue over the next couple years.

See: Microsoft & IE in the 90's
Click to expand...

But it's Apple, not Microsoft so it will be ok.
 
As much as I'd like to know more, I just can't watch that presentation...the guy's speaking and presentation skills are simply so poor, I can't take it. I'm forced to sit through these at work....not doing it here.
 
JimmyTheKnife said:
It would take one heck of a browser to have me give up the Atomic Web Browser. I've tried quite a few and it's the best.
Click to expand...

Between Safari and Atomic = Atomic wins.

Between Atomic and Proton for the ipad = Proton wins

PROTON has flash capability (easy to invoke) and allows to watch streaming video sites that still use flash.

Easy to use too.

Safari is actually the last of my surfing choices on an ios.

While Firefox will be free I 'd consider it a wasted effort.
 
smellalot said:
I'd love a browser that syncs my bookmarks with chrome, which I use on my Mac.
I even tried switching to safari on the Mac, but it lacks some really important features.
Click to expand...

Like what? I've used Safari for 6 years now and it has more features then all the browsers out there... maybe you don't know how to do what you want to?

Not being rude just saying... most computer issues or complaints are a lack of user knowledge.
 
Mozilla makes an excellent browser that's been a staple of mine for a long time. However, I wish these guys would lay off the weed and get a speaker up there whose brain isn't completely fried.

For being one of the largest browser companies in the world, these guys have no presentation skill at all, nor do they even seem enthusiastic about their product. Their browser plugins are second to none, but as of lately it feels like they been slacking regarding features and innovation.
 
theelysium said:
This guy is rude and unprofessional. He is also a very crappy speaker... I won't ever use this browser because of him.
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I totally agree. I can't believe that they even released this video for PR reason. I even heard him drop the F bomb, really strange to put that on the face of Mozilla.
 
Last edited:
This will be much superior to Safari and Apple will take it off the App Store since they are afraid of legitimate competition and continue to force their customers to use inferior products.
 
theelysium said:
Like what? I've used Safari for 6 years now and it has more features then all the browsers out there... maybe you don't know how to do what you want to?

Not being rude just saying... most computer issues or complaints are a lack of user knowledge.
Click to expand...

Ok, let's hope you're right. Show me an easy way to get the CMD+1,2,...,9 feature (switching between open tabs.)
I also missed Adblock, but IIRC that's available now.
 
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