Published on 11:51 AM, March 25, 2019

Mozilla launches new Firefox browser for iPad users

A woman looks at her mobile phone as she stands in front of a poster of Mozilla Firefox. AFP file photo

Mozilla released a new version of its Firefox web browser specifically designed for Apple’s iPad.

On its website, Mozilla explains that the new version caters to users who want a tablet experience while using the web browser.

“We know that iPads aren’t just bigger versions of iPhones. You use them differently, you need them for different things,” it states.

“So rather than just make them a bigger version of our browser for iOS, we made Firefox for iPad look and feel like it was custom made for a tablet. Mostly because it was.”

Better tab management: To help users organise what tabs they have open on the tablet, Firefox for iPad displays them like tiles making it easier to see what they are.

Easier private browsing: Users can turn on the Private Browsing mode with the click of just one button. Look for the purple icon on the lower left corner of the browser window.

Keyboard shortcuts: Those who use an external keyboard – and happen to be familiar with shortcuts on Mac – can find the list of shortcuts by holding down the Command key. You can reload the page with Command + R, open a new private tab with Command + shift + P, use Command + F to find things, and more.

Split screen support: You can have two apps open side-by-side making your time on the tablet a bit more productive. Look for directions on Google Maps while reading about the place on the browser or have conversations on Slack while watching a video.

Microsoft Outlook integration: Users cannot set Firefox as the default browser on iOS. However, they can set Firefox as the default browser to open links in their Outlook emails.

Mozilla adds that Firefox for iPad has all the Firefox for iOS features, including a night mode to help with reading in low light, dark theme for the display and a Tracking Protection to keep third-party trackers from following you around on the web and using up your data.

The Star Online/ Asia News Network