Latest Firefox update delivers the community's top wishes, but still no PWAs

Firefox has just dropped a significant update, and it’s not just about minor tweaks. Mozilla has truly listened to its community, bringing some of the most-requested features to life.

Mozilla Connect has over 3,200 users who begged for native Tab Grouping and another 1,400+ who dreamt of Vertical Tabs. And guess what? Both are now part of the Firefox experience, ready to tame your tab chaos and bring zen back to your browsing. Mozilla is also spicing up things with several privacy, speed, performance and compatibility enhancements.

Two of the most requested features in Mozilla Connect are support for native Tab Grouping and Vertical Tabs, and this update fully delivers. If you’re the type who is always having so many tabs open like yours truly, it often feels like navigating a maze. Well, say hello to Tab Grouping, Vertical Tabs and Sidebar, the long-awaited features designed to tame your tab chaos. Whether you’re juggling 7 tabs or a whopping 7,500 (yes, someone out there does that), these features aim to keep your browsing organized and focused. And for those of you juggling multiple online lives, the new Profile Management system is a game-changer. You can now keep your work stuff separate from your school stuff, and both of those away from your personal browsing. No more accidental cat meme posts on your professional LinkedIn profile.

Another mildly requested feature with 378 upvotes is the ability to add a wallpaper in the new tab view. This new Firefox update adds the personalized touch you’ve been waiting for. Tired of the same old new tab look? Now you can spice it up with customizable wallpapers. Choose from stunning photos, vibrant colors, or calming abstract designs – your Firefox, your style.

Still no PWAs in Firefox, but there’s more to the update

Unfortunately, there’s no love for the second-most requested feature in the Firefox community — support for progressive web apps (PWAs). The feature request has about 2000 upvotes, but somehow missed out. The Mozilla community might be buzzing with excitement, but missing out on PWAs will sting a bit for those who were rooting for them. Despite the obvious demand, this feature didn’t make the cut in this update. Some users are feeling the snub, especially since Vertical Tabs and customizable new tab wallpapers, with fewer upvotes, were prioritized.

This update brings more than the requested features. For instance, Firefox’s renowned privacy protections are now more intuitive than ever. No need to be a tech wizard to understand the settings. The new streamlined menus put the essential privacy controls right at your fingertips.

As expected, Mozilla hasn’t forgotten the basics. This update further promises an even faster, smoother browsing experience with quicker page loads and startup times. Plus, they’ve managed to squeeze out 20% more responsiveness, which means your phone’s battery will thank you too.

Like everyone else, Mozilla is also dipping its toes into the AI pool, but with a privacy-first approach. They’re exploring how to use local, on-device AI models to enhance your browsing experience without sacrificing your data. One of the first examples is AI-generated alt-text for images in PDFs, a win for accessibility.

It’s quite unfortunate that Mozilla overlooked the demand for PWAs with the latest Firefox update. But hey, no update is perfect, right? This one comes pretty darn close, showing that Mozilla is genuinely committed to making Firefox the browser its users want. Now, if we could just get those PWAs…