Who needs Firefox OS when you can run the Firefox web browser on your smartphone? I’ve been using Firefox on my Nexus 5 for the last few days because the browser I typically use, Dolphin, doesn’t yet support tap or pinch-to-zoom on Android 4.4, and the Chrome web browser doesn’t support plugins or extensions like LastPass.

Firefox for Android has come a long way in the past few years, and the latest version is fast, and touch-friendly. Now it also comes preloaded on a handful of Android devices.

Firefox for Android

Mozilla has announced that the latest Kobo Arc tablets and the Gigaby GSmart Simba SX1 smartphone will come with Firefox pre-installed.

Folks who use Firefox on their desktop computers will be able to sync data between a PC and mobile device, and even if you only use the browser on mobile, it has a few advantages including support for a a wide range of plugins and quick access to frequently visited sites, bookmarks, and history from the start page.

Plus there’s the nostalgia value of seeing the Firefox logo on your phone. Just for kicks, I also installed Winamp on my phone the other day and felt like I was using a desktop PC in 2005.

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5 replies on “Firefox now comes preloaded on select Android phones, tablets”

  1. I have Firefox, Chrome installed on my phone. But I prefer Dolphin because the browser tabs on top make it easier to use. I wish that Dolphin had moveable tabs like a conventional desktop browser however. The only read advantage to Firefox is the noscript mobile extension. It’s still a bit clunky however.

  2. Recently switched to Firefox from Chrome on both desktop and mobile for privacy concerns.

    1. I use Comodo Dragon on all my Windows machines. It’s Chrome w/ a bunch of extra privacy features and a nicer color scheme.

  3. Q. Who needs Firefox OS when you can run the Firefox web browser on your smartphone?
    Ans : Hmm I need one 😉

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