Firefox 89 for desktop computers comes with a new interface called “Proton.” It brings with it a simplified browser user interface and toolbar, reorganized menus; also a new prettier tab page, clearer iconography, and more consistent styling throughout. For its part, Firefox for Android It’s not undergoing the same bold redesign as its desktop counterparts; however, some of the new UI elements have still been leaked to the mobile version in Firefox 89 for Android, which has just started rolling out to mobiles.
The new design elements are mainly introduced thanks to new icons that make the user interface feel more up-to-date, with an emphasis on thinness and contours. They are available throughout the user interface, starting with the address bar, the additional menu (which has also been rearranged), the privacy settings, the tab switcher, and more. Mozilla also decided to remove the icons from the browser settings entirely; this is a shame as they help to find the correct menu entry more quickly.
If you use Firefox on more than one mobile, you will also appreciate the addition of a new section to the tab switcher: synced tabs. These were previously hidden behind a menu entry in the overflow menu, but the new position is just where you’d expect. There is another setting in the regular open tab overview. Mozilla has removed the button «select tabs» on the bottom. However, you can still select multiple pages by holding down one and then tapping the others. This is useful if you want to bookmark more than one or save some tabs in a collection.
The new tab page has also undergone minor adjustments. The favicons of your favorite websites are now much bigger. For its part, a small icon indicates which sites are pinned to the page and which are dynamically added while browsing.
Firefox 89 for Android now reports malfunctioning websites
If you’re a Firefox user, you’ve probably come across a site or two that just don’t work well with Mozilla’s rendering engine. During the beta phase of Firefox 89, it appeared that the browser manufacturer wanted to partner with Web Compat to combat these issues. A new menu entry allows you to report open source project pages not working properly due to compatibility issues with just a few taps. The volunteers managing the site were supposed to classify the report and ultimately contact the site in question and ask for a solution, a good idea that should help keep the web free and accessible to all. However, that menu entry has disappeared from Firefox after beta, and we’re not sure it will return anytime soon.
Unfortunately, the latest version of Firefox has not yet received new browser extensions in addition to the small existing collection of accessories with green light. You will still have to use the Nightly version to get all the extensions you need.
Unlike Firefox 88, version 89 also doesn’t crash when you hit the top or bottom of a website on Android 12, which likely happened due to the new system over-scrolling animation.
You can download Firefox 89 from the Play Store, but we also have it in APK Mirror.
