Mozilla Working on 'Junior' Web Browser for iPad
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.
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.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.
Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Apple to Charge $199 for Battery Replacement on MacBook Pro with Retina Display
• Aaron Sorkin's Full Interview at D10: How to Write the Story of Steve Jobs' Life
• Though Discontinued, Apple Offering a Plethora of Discounted 17" MacBook Pros
• Developers Begin to Update Apps With Retina Support
• New Apple Store Coming to Chicago's South Loop?
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/18/mozilla-working-on-junior-web-browser-for-ipad/
