The opensource browser Mozilla Firefox 55 has just entered a brand new stage, multithreading’s improvement and introduction made its performance finally catch up, yet those old extensions (e.g. Flash) may cause problems during the browser’s multi-thread running. In Firefox 55 and later versions, Mozilla will focus on solving these issues.
For example, in version 55, it’s set as default that running the Flash plugin needs the user to confirm, and local content of this kind is not allowed to call. Meanwhile, starting from version 55, Firefox will support WebVR.
Another notable feature in this update is that the search box and location bar become more closer. You can anytime search the keyword by typing it in the address field. So maybe in the near future, the location bar would be removed, just like that on Chrome.
The “Sync” features have also become better – an access to Firefox sync center has been added to the sync menu, where the user can manage the Firefox sync on multiple devices.
The following are the update details:
New
- Browsing sessions with a high number of tabs are now restored in an instant
- Sidebar (bookmarks, history, synced tabs) can now be moved to the right edge of the window
- Fine-tune your browser performance from the Preferences/Options page.
- Make screenshots of webpages, and save them locally or upload them to the cloud. This feature will undergo A/B testing and will not be visible for some users.
- Added Belarusian (be) locale
- Assign custom shortcuts to Firefox menu items on OS X and macOS via System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts
- Simplify print jobs from within print preview
- Use virtual reality devices with the web with the introduction of WebVR
- Search suggestions are now enabled by default for users who haven’t explicitly opted-out
- Search with any installed search engine directly from the location bar
Changed
- Breaking profile changes – do not downgrade Firefox and use a profile that has been opened with Firefox 55+.
- Windows stub installer is now streamlined for simpler installation. Users requiring advanced install options should use full installers.
- The Flash plugin is now click-to-activate by default and only allowed on http:// and https:// URL schemes. This change will be rolled out progressively and so will not be visible to all users immediately. For more information see the Firefox plugin roadmap
- Modernized application update UI to be less intrusive and more aligned with the rest of the browser. Only users who have not restarted their browser 8 days after downloading an update or users who opted out of automatic updates will see this change.
Developer
- Insecure sites can no longer access the Geolocation APIs to get access to your physical location
