Firefox 8 Now Available, But Firefox 10/11 Is What We Are Waiting For

Mozilla has not announced Firefox 8 officially, but those who cannot wait can download the new browser simply by changing the download URL. There are a few new features in version that justify the update for Firefox, but critical features that will help Firefox to compete especially with Chrome will not arrive until version 10 or 11.

Firefox 8 is scheduled to be released sometime later today, but can be downloaded from the Firefox page by simply changing the version number 7.0.1 in the download URL to 8.0. Mozilla isn’t particularly happy about reports that the final version is available before the company announces the browser via its blog and typically advises us that the available version may not be the final browser version and changes may still take place. However, given the fact Mozilla publsihed the release candidate late last week and no major changes have been applied since then, it is safe to assume that the currently offered version 8 is, in fact, the version that will be distributed to users this week.

The notable changes are tab tweeks in which restored tabs will only load the active tab in a new session. Moving a tab will now show an animated thumbnail instead of a simple line. Third party add-ons such as toolbars cannot run without the user’s permission anymore. Also, there is now people search for Twitter. Mozilla planned on including a first step for the silent update and scale back the app update UI, which may not make it in the final release when it is pushed out to users.

According to Mozilla’s Roadmap, Firefox 9 will be a minor update for Firefox and much more important for the mobile version as the browser will get a camera UI and the final version of the tablet UI. Firefox 10, however, will be a bigger deal as it will include a new tab page layout. Currently planned, but not confirmed to actually hit version 10 is the completion of the silent update feature, as well as support for migrating Chrome data such as bookmarks, cookies and history for those users who want to switch from using Chrome to Firefox. Version 10 is not due until January 31, 2012. Needless to say, Mozilla cannot miss the silent update and migration feature for version 10.

In Version 11, which should have those features in the case they do not land for version 10, Mozilla plans to debut web apps integration (which will be available for Firefox Mobile for Android 8), a panel-based download manager, as well as the home tab app, which may be integrated in version 11. Firefox 11 is also likely to feature a major UI update along with the home tab, which will entirely remove the menu bar and display icons such as back and forward seamlessly within the content window. Another planned feature for Version 11 is support for Google’s SPDY.

Firefox 11 is scheduled for a March 13, 2012 release.

Daniel Bailey in Products on November 07