Firefox 24.0 for Android brings WebRTC, Night Mode and more

Martin Brinkmann
Sep 18, 2013
Updated • Sep 18, 2013
Apps, Firefox
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Updates for the desktop version of the Firefox web browser and its mobile version for Android are released at the same time by Mozilla. While the latest desktop update is not offering anything spectacular, the same cannot be said for the Firefox Browser for Android. The update brings the version of the browser to 24.0.

The update is rolled out in stages, which means that you may not have it yet on your Android device. The check for updates button in the options may return nothing as well.

The only surefire way of installing Firefox 24 for Android is to go to Google Play and click on the install button on the Firefox page again.

Most new features in the release are not noticeable right away.

Night Mode

firefox 24 android night mode

The new night mode for instance has been added to Reader, a custom module that removes most elements from websites so that you are left with the contents only.  It offers a similar feature set as Tranquility or Evernote Clearly.

To access Reader Mode, tap on the reader icon in Firefox's address bar. This switches to the mode. The night mode feature becomes available after you tap on the Aa link in the bottom toolbar. Just select Dark here to switch the color scheme around.

Quick Share

firefox android quick share

Another new feature is the - better - integration of the share feature in Firefox. You can now tap on the menu icon of your phone or tablet to bring it up in the mobile browser's main menu.

Just tap on share here and all apps and options to share what you see right now become available.

NFC Sharing Support

If your phone supports NFC, you can now share websites with other phones or tablets that support it. The feature may be useful if you want to get a link over to your friend's or colleague's phone without having to send it another way or dictating it.

WebRTC comes to Firefox for Android

WebRTC is one of the next big things, and support has finally come to the Firefox for Android browser. The RTC stands for Real Time Communications that are powered via JavaScript apis. Examples include real-time chat, video conferencing or file sharing.

New language support

Firefox for Android is now available in Swedish, British (English) and Catalan. In addition to that, Braille support has been added as well.

Closing Words

The browser has received a couple of additional features and fixes. All security updates have been applied to it for instance. Chinese locals may have noticed that their default search engine has been switched over to Baidu.

Depending on how you use your phone or tablet, you may benefit from all or some of the new features. WebRTC support is definitely great, even though you may not run into that many applications or services on the Internet that make use of it. But that is likely going to change in the coming years.

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Comments

  1. bruh said on August 18, 2023 at 1:25 pm
    Reply

    Uhh, this has already been possible – I am not sure how but remember my brother telling me about it. I’m not a whatsapp user so not sure of the specifics, but something about sending the image as a file and somehow bypassing the default compression settings that are applied to inbound photos.

    He has also used this to share movies to whatsapp groups, and files 1Gb+.

    Like I said, I never used whatsapp, but I know 100% this isn’t a “brand new feature”, my brother literally showed me him doing it, like… 5 months ago?

  2. 💥 said on August 18, 2023 at 3:55 pm
    Reply

    Martin, what happened to those: 12 Comments (https://www.ghacks.net/chatgpt-gets-schooled-by-princeton-university/#comments). Is there a specific justifiable reason why they were deleted?

    Hmm, it looks like the gHacks website database is faulty, and not populating threads with their relevant cosponsoring posts.

  3. 45 RPM said on August 19, 2023 at 6:29 pm
    Reply

    The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk that it’s about to be deleted from my ‘daily reads’.

    It’s really like “Press Release as re-written by some d*ck for clicks…poorly.” And the subjects are laughable. Can’t wait for “How to search for files on Windows”.

    1. owl said on August 20, 2023 at 12:51 am
      Reply

      > The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk…

      Sadly, I have to agree.

      Only Martin and Ashwin are worth subscribing to.
      Especially Emre Çitak and Shaun are the worst ones.

      If ghacks.net intended “Clickbait”, it would mark the end of Ghacks Technology News.
      Ghacks doesn’t need crappy clickbaits. Clearly separate articles from newer authors (perhaps AIs and external sales person or external advertising man) as just “Advertisements”!

      We, the subscribers of Ghacks, urge Martin to make a decision.

  4. chessandonions said on August 20, 2023 at 12:40 am
    Reply

    because nevermore wants to “monetize” on every aspect of human life…

  5. Frank Rizzo said on August 20, 2023 at 11:52 pm
    Reply

    “Threads” is like the Walmart of Social Media.

  6. Ashray said on August 21, 2023 at 4:06 pm
    Reply

    How hard can it be to clone a twitter version of that as well? They’re slow.

  7. Paul(us) said on August 21, 2023 at 5:16 pm
    Reply

    Yes, why not mention how large the HD files can be?
    Why, not mention what version of WhatsApp is needed?
    These omissions make the article feel so bare. If not complete.

    1. Paul(us) said on August 21, 2023 at 5:18 pm
      Reply

      Sorry posted on the wrong page.

  8. Marc said on August 21, 2023 at 6:00 pm
    Reply

    such a long article for such a simple matter. Worthless article ! waste of time

  9. plusminus_ said on August 21, 2023 at 7:54 pm
    Reply

    I already do this by attaching them via the ‘Document’ option.

  10. John G. said on August 21, 2023 at 11:43 pm
    Reply

    I don’t know what’s going on here at Ghacks but it’s obvious that something is broken, comments are being mixed whatever the article, I am unable to find some of my later posts neither. :S

  11. Tom Hawack said on August 23, 2023 at 2:28 pm
    Reply

    Quoting the article,
    “As users gain popularity, the value of their tokens may increase, allowing investors to reap rewards.”

    Besides, beyond the thrill and privacy risks or not, the point is to know how you gain popularity, be it on social sites as everywhere in life. Is it by being authentic, by remaining faithful to ourselves or is it to have this particular skill which is to understand what a majority likes, just like politicians, those who’d deny to the maximum extent compatible with their ideological partnership, in order to grab as many of the voters they can?

    I see the very concept of this Friend.tech as unhealthy, propagating what is already an increasing flaw : the quest for fame. I won’t be the only one to count himself out, definitely.

    1. Tom Hawack said on August 23, 2023 at 2:34 pm
      Reply

      @John G. is right : my comment was posted on [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/23/what-is-friend-tech/] and it appears there but as well here at [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/08/how-to-follow-everyone-on-threads/]

      This has been lasting for several days. Fix it or at least provide some explanations if you don’t mind.

  12. Tom said on August 24, 2023 at 11:53 am
    Reply

    > Google Chrome is following in Safari’s footsteps by introducing a new feature that allows users to move the Chrome address bar to the bottom of the screen, enhancing user accessibility and interaction.

    Firefox did this long before Safari.

  13. Mavoy said on September 16, 2023 at 2:17 pm
    Reply

    Basically they’ll do anything except fair royalties.

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