Fennec is the code name of the effort to build a mobile version of Firefox. Fennec is part of the Mozilla effort to enable all mobile phones with a Mozilla application.
The overall goals for Mobile Firefox are:
· provide Mozilla’s standards-based open-source browser engine, optimized for mobile, that can be embedded by device manufacturers and others;
· a full-featured mobile browser including support for XUL-based add-ons, delivering on Firefox’s key principles of ease-of-use, security and accessibility;
· grow the Mozilla community in the mobile space;
· provide tools and documentation to help developers develop, debug and deploy web applications;
· do all of this work in the shared Mozilla source repositories so all platforms, desktop and mobile, benefit each other
UI modes:
· full screen
· portrait/landscape
· mouse pointer for non-touch screen devices
zoom:
· zoom to relevant section
· zoom to width
· zoom to height
· zoom to fit page
scrolling/panning:
· kinetic
· normal (through keys)
· accelerated
· security (e.g. how does the user know the site is secure?)
· tabbed browsing
· spatial navigation - keyboard shortcuts
layout:
· ssr (single column display)
· fit to width
· fit to height
· scrollbar-free layout
· viewport meta tag
· breakpad for ARM
· virtual keyboard
· text input - password/input manager + native integration
· low memory handlers
· start page
· basic navigation/UI design
· localization
· text layout
· send page/URL
· device integration through Javascript
· determine build profile (simple, basic) and what needs to be removed/added
· radical new UI
What's New in This Release:
Getting you to the web faster:
· The new first-run experience gets you directly to the home page and briefly shows you browser features in the side panels. Firefox starts up faster and uses less memory.
Creating a better web experience:
· Higher-quality image scaling (on devices with NEON-compatible processors). Smoother zooming, less pixelation, crisper display of logos, etc.
· Improvements for large-screen tablets: Optimizing Firefox for larger tablet devices, e.g. by adjusting UI elements, buttons, font size. (Phase 1)
· Better integration of Form Assistant for a smoother user experience
· Visual refresh with new Gingerbread theme for phones running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread): A fresh look for the browser to look even more beautiful on Gingerbread.
· Universal Access: Optimized rendering of pages that use RTL layout (languages like Arabic, Hebrew)
Important improvements "under the hood" and new technology features:
· Touch Events (part 1 - single touch only): Expose touch events to ...