Mozilla released an updated Firefox Quantum on Tuesday that represents the biggest upgrade to the browser since it debuted in 2004.
Firefox Quantum has twice the speed of the old version and uses 30 percent less memory than Google Chrome, its main competitor, Business Insider reported. It was developed especially for users who switch rapidly among many different tabs when using the internet.
The update involved six years of research and development and took a year-and-a-half to create, Mozilla’s Chief Marketing Officer Jascha Kaykas-Wolff said, BI reported. Firefox is an open source browser, and more than 700 people around the world contributed to the Quantum update.
Quantum also integrates Pocket, which formulates a personal reading list for users. Mozilla acquired the app in February. Articles recommended by Pocket appear whenever a tab is opened.
The browser uses a new user interface called Photon, which is intended to modernize and unify Firefox products. It was created from research about how people use the web on all kinds of different devices, according to the Mozilla blog.
Google is the default search provider for Quantum in the U.S. and Canada, but users can select another search provider in one of more than 90 languages. Another new feature prioritizes the tab a user is currently on so that it works better and doesn’t freeze up or become unresponsive, according to the Mozilla blog.
Mozilla also plans more updates and improvements in the near future, the blog noted.
Twitter users were generally positive about Quantum, though a few reported problems.
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