Mobile Firefox first steps

As part of it mobile strategy, Mozilla has unveiled the first designs of what may become in time, Mobile Firefox’s user interface. The design considers two scenarios: touch screen enabled devices like most PDAs and smart phones and those were screen navigation is performed with a keyboard or similar, like most cell phones.

Perhaps the most noticeable change in these first previews is the aim for look and feel and even functionality consistency with Firefox 3, a true challenge for an application constrained to cell phones and PDAs limited computing resources.

The main window looks very clean with a thin title bar, a main toolbar that can be hidden by tapping on the title bar and features a refresh/stop button, a location/search bar and Firefox 3-style star/bookmarks button.

Firefox Mobile prototype UI

A tap in the location/search bar calls the device on-screen keyboard to enter either a web address or search terms. The press the Go button to visit the web address, the search button to perform a search or cancel. The location bar is as mighty as Firefox 3’s awesome bar displaying previously entered web addresses and titles that match the entered characters.

Firefox Mobile prototype UI search/enter URL

Additionally, the list of previously entered address can be displayed by tapping in a chevron inside the location bar.

As a page loads, the reload button changes to a stop button while the location bar shows the page loading progress in the background.

The star button displays the list of bookmarks on a single tap. Double tap to bookmark the current page.

Firefox Mobile prototype UI bookmarks

A navigation toolbar is displayed in the lower part with back and forward button, zoom in and zoom out buttons which suddenly become very relevant on mobile devices and a cool tabs button that displays up to four tab previews on tap for quick tab switching. You will be able to pan amon tabs if more than four are currently opened and close them with individual buttons.

Zoom-In and Zoom-Out buttons do a full page zooming (images included) just like Firefox 3 will do. You can then pan a web page by tapping and dragging around.

For non touch screen devices a virtual cursor is provided and controlled with the keyboard navigational keys. Other actions are performed through menus and submenus.

Mozilla is also providing XUL prototypes, (I used the touch screen enabled one for the screenshots), so you can try the proposed interface on a working prototype with a few limitations though.

Of course the reason for this early announcement is to allow people to share their views and comments. I am not sure if there is a forum for that right now, but Mozilla Mobile’s Doug Turners’s post should be a good place to start.

Make sure to read the complete specifications.


34 Responses to “Mobile Firefox first steps”

  1. Mobile Firefox - Los inicios | Francisco Vargas Says:

    [...] no habían dicho nada era la gente de Mozilla. Desde hace unos meses se está trabajando en el desarrollo de un mini-firefox para dispositivos móviles y hoy tenemos ya unas cuantas maquetas de lo que nos podemos encontrar [...]

  2. Mobile Firefox Mockups Says:

    [...] [via Mozilla Links] [...]

  3. Firefox Mobile Browser | ideas2o Says:

    [...] Ref : Mozilla [...]

  4. Gizmodo Says:

    Mobile Firefox Might Make Safari Feel a Little Touchy

    Remember that mobile Firefox announcement from a couple of months ago? Turns out, there’s two flavors in the works: a regular version for vanilla cellphones, and one that’s for touchscreen smartphones like the iPhone. The goal is be functionally cons…

  5. Mobile Firefox is Coming | JJjunk Says:

    [...] details are available at Mozilla Links. //OBSTART:do_NOT_remove_this_comment var [...]

  6. Mobile Firefox showing off its Face | SolSie.com Says:

    [...] with a keyboard or similar, like most cell phones. You can find the complete specs HERE! [Source Mozilla] Technorati Tags: [...]

  7. New Mobile Firefox previews | Mobility Site Says:

    [...] Mozilla Links: As part of it mobile strategy, Mozilla has unveiled the first designs of what may become in time, [...]

  8. Michael Says:

    I would like to know does it supports AJAX?

    Is there anyway to support mouse over event? As I find that some site use dynamic menu which a lot of mobile browser does not support moude over, i cannot further navigate to the site. So it will be a great idea to support mouse over, may be using a virtual mouse cursor.

    cheer.

    Reply

  9. Michael Says:

    Ok, I also think that we need a mini map support. This will be some how similiar to Safari on iphone.

    Reply

  10. Firefox Coming to a Mobile Device Near You :: Gizmos for Geeks Says:

    [...] is working on a mobile version of Firefox. Unfortunately, it probably won’t see the light of day until end of this year. Well [...]

  11. Firefox mobile | The Gabbo Says:

    [...] rumors e una mezza ammissione nel 2007 da parte di Mitchell Baker, CEO di Mozilla Foundation, sembra essere giunta l’ora per l’arrivo di Mozilla Mobile, un browser internet (in java?) disponibile per cellulari (con o senza touch screen). Dai primi [...]

  12. allblackberry.com » Mobile Firefox Coming in 2008 - BlackBerry news and reviews Says:

    [...] can find out more about the design at this link. No word yet on whether we’ll get it on the BlackBerry, but if you want your voice heard, [...]

  13. FrAndroid » Actualités Générales Prototype » Firefox Mobile : Les premières captures… Says:

    [...] : Mozilla Links Tagged as: Firefox, mobile, Mozilla, [...]

  14. Eerste blik op interface Mobile Firefox | Bcool.be Says:

    [...] Meer info: http://mozillalinks.org/wp/2008/01/mobile-firefox-first-steps/  [...]

  15. Firefox Mobile: che la guerra abbia inizio at Insel der Engel’ Says:

    [...] Firefox Wiki MozillaLinks: Mobile Firefox first steps Firefox Facts: Mobile Firefox – First Look Mela Blog: Mozilla sviluppa Firefox per iPhone oneApple: [...]

  16. Firefox Mobile? « Buddy Blogs Says:

    [...] out Mozilla links for more info on [...]

  17. Mozilla Firefox for Smart Phone & PDA » Tech At Hand Says:

    [...] So it is good to know that Mozilla is now thinking for Mobile users. [...]

  18. Mobile Firefox team shows off a few mockups Says:

    [...] [Via Mobility Site and Mozilla Links] [...]

  19. John Says:

    Isn’t there already a “Mobile Firefox” that runs on Maemo?

    (the Nokia Internet Tablet linux OS; the default browser for OS2008, “microb”, is a variant of Firefox last I checked, complete with plugin compatibility, etc.)

    or is “Mobile Firefox” a poorly named “Windows Mobile” specific version?

    Reply

  20. Mobile Firefox mockups shown off but what do you think? | Communication Says:

    [...] Source [...]

  21. Petr Says:

    Is there any alpha or beta available for WM6 Professional ?

    Reply

  22. Percy Cabello Says:

    John, the Maemo version is a slightly adapted Firefox that can take advantage of Nokia tablets’ more powerful processors. Mobile Firefox will be for all cell phones and PDAs.

    Petr, there is no Mobile Firefox available for any platform. The screenshots are just a prototype running on Windows XP that simulates a typical PDA screen size.

    Reply

  23. Mobil Firefox-browser på vej | | PocketFreak.dk Says:

    [...] Læs mere og se idéerne præsenteret her. [...]

  24. Second take on Mobile Firefox UI : Mozilla Links Says:

    [...] design for touchscreen devices has been published. The new design picks suggestions made to the previous proposal and introduces a more subtle user interface that makes better use of portable devices’ [...]

  25. firefox cebe girdi - skyfire | Minibüs Kiralama Says:

    [...] çok kullanılan web tarayıcılarından olan Firefox‘un Mozilla’sı. Kod adı “SkyFire” ! skyFire’ın ana [...]

  26. Yeniçag Blog Gazeteler,Güncel haberler, yazarlar,siyaset, son dakika, haber » Blog Archive » firefox cebe girdi - skyfire Says:

    [...] de, en çok kullan?lan web taray?c?lar?ndan olan Firefox‘un Mozilla’s?. Kod ad? “SkyFire” ! skyFire’?n ana [...]

  27. Firefox手机移动版预览 - 免费短信、网络电话和手机应用软件 - 关注Java、网络电话、短信等在手 Says:

    [...] 同样也提供了 XUL 架构(这篇文章是利用 touch screen enabled one [...]

  28. Patrick Says:

    Since I have gotten the Nokia N95 in 2007 I’ve been anxiously anticipating this release. The company I work for uses iNotes and Opera Mini doesn’t work with it. Furthermore, I have seen some flaky behaviour from Opera. I like the screen shots; however, from a non-touchscreen PDA phone perspective, it would be a better UI to keep all functions in one location (i.e. either top or bottom). This means a better experience for the non-touchscreen users from not having to go to the top or the bottom based on the function they want the application to do.

    I have Symbian OS S60 3rd Edition and would like to see this on my phone.

    Any ideas on when we could see some beta release for Symbian users?

    Reply

  29. sarfaraz haq Says:

    i like to use mozilla firefox than opera for mobile….

    Reply

  30. Girindor Says:

    I would like to see a few features from the Netfront browser. Basically, the entire webpage is displayed, and scrolling to the left, right, up, down, sideways, etc. is as easy as a swift “swipe” of the finger across the page. While the page moves, a little box shows up, incdicating where in the webpage you are going to.

    …and the bookmarks display in a way similar to the way coverflow displays music albums in itunes.

    It would be great if Mobile Firefox could emulate and improve on some of the innovations there!

    Reply

  31. angie Says:

    i heard about this and i saw the demo and it looked pretty
    but if this is the real version, then i don’t like it.
    its not that pretty, sorry.
    eh, i still might get it but i dought it

    Reply

    chet alvarAugust 22nd, 2008 at 10:56 pm

    can i download this aplc8n mobile firefox directly using my nokia 6600? tnxs……..

    Reply

  32. angie Says:

    wait.. how do you download this?
    its confusingg :D

    Reply

  33. Nam Says:

    Gesture feature for Mobile FireFox wil be an advantage.

    Reply

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