Firefox has released an update for its iOS browser that offers interface improvements and a faster browsing experience.

Firefox v5.0 promises faster web page loading times combined with significant battery savings, according to the browser's development team. Mozilla claims up to a 40 percent reduction in CPU usage and up to a 30 percent reduction in memory usage, although it notes results may vary between users.

Firefox iOS
Aside from speed improvements and power savings, the main interface has seen a number of new additions. Top of the list is a new menu on the toolbar that allows for easier navigation and quick access to frequently used features – from adding a bookmark to finding text in page.

Mozilla has also tried to make tab management a less frustrating experience on smaller screens, with the introduction of a 'Close All Tabs' option and an 'Undo' option to easily recover them, as well as a simpler method of navigating open tabs.

Users can also now set their favorite site as their homepage, which can be accessed at any time via the Home button in the new main menu.

Firefox iOS
In addition, users can now search sites with a search box (Amazon, for example) using a new magnifying glass button above the keyboard.

To add a website to the list of search engines accessed from the new tool, users simply need to go to the site in question and tap on the magnifying glass.

Firefox web browser is a free download for iPhone and iPad available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

Rigby Avatar
111 months ago
If Firefox can demonstrably compete with Safari on the desktop and on mobile in terms of speed and battery life, I would be willing to make the switch. Until then, however, the convenience of Safari on both OS X and iOS with iCloud integration and the addition of not having to create a separate user account for shared tabs, etc. - plus the battery life issue - means that Safari wins out in my books.
True for Mac-only users. However, for those of us who want or need to use other operating systems as well, Firefox continues to be a great browser. Its ability to sync across platforms with a Firefox account, huge extension ecosystem, and focus on privacy still make it my browser of choice.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Glassed Silver Avatar
112 months ago
In addition, users can now search sites with a search box (Amazon, for example) using a new magnifying glass button above the keyboard.

To add a website to the list of search engines accessed from the new tool, users simply need to go to the site in question and tap on the magnifying glass.
That's freaking amazing.
That's precisely the technology you need to enable a feature I came up with the other day...
I'd love to have a search box to specifically search a couple of bookmarked websites I frequently use as research databases.

I know you can set up a custom Google search, but then you still get the Google search results page and that's often much less efficient than a website's search function.

I may find the name of a game mentioned somewhere for the domain xyz.com, but it's not an article about it.
So Google may yield results that aren't relevant when the website search is optimized for what people expect to get returned.

tl;dr:
I want a combined results page for a bunch of sites using site searches.
Someone make it happen!

Glassed Silver:mac
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yesjam Avatar
111 months ago
True for Mac-only users. However, for those of us who want or need to use other operating systems as well, Firefox continues to be a great browser. Its ability to sync across platforms with a Firefox account, huge extension ecosystem, and focus on privacy still make it my browser of choice.
I agree. Firefox is my go-to browser when I'm working on Windows (but I don't usually have to take advantage of cross-platform features when I'm on Windows so they don't affect me in the same way that they might affect others.)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djbuddha Avatar
111 months ago
I want to see if they can optimize Firefox to actually battle against Safari and Chrome on the desktop side.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Will Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:15 am PST by
iOS 18.3 was released last month, so the first iOS 18.4 beta should be coming soon. iOS 18.4 is expected to be a more substantial update for the iPhone, with several new features and changes related to Apple Intelligence and beyond. Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, following beta testing. Below, we outline what to expect from the update so far. Apple...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive an All-New Perk

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:21 am PST by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already come with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and now there is another one...
maxresdefault

An Apple TV Refresh is Coming in 2025 - Here's What You Should Know

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:17 am PST by
Apple hasn't refreshed the Apple TV since 2022, but rumors suggest that we're finally going to get an update in 2025. We don't have a full picture of what to expect yet, but we have some hints on what's coming. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Updated A-Series Chip The current Apple TV 4K uses the A15 Bionic chip that was in the iPhone 13 lineup, and it's time for...
iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb

iPhone SE 4 Launching as Soon as Next Week

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone SE could debut as soon as next week with a launch to follow later in February, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple isn't expected to hold an event for the iPhone SE 4, and will instead unveil the device through a press release. The iPhone SE 4 is expected to have an iPhone 14-style design, with Apple eliminating the thick bezels and Touch ID Home button of...
iOS 18

iOS 18.3.1 Update Coming Soon for iPhones

Thursday February 6, 2025 7:31 am PST by
Apple is internally testing iOS 18.3.1 for iPhones, according to our website's analytics logs, which have been a consistently reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The software update should be released within the next few weeks. iOS 18.3.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Apple Intelligence notification summaries for news and...
iCloud General Feature Redux

Apple Ordered by UK to Create Global iCloud Encryption Backdoor

Friday February 7, 2025 2:37 am PST by
The British government has secretly demanded that Apple give it blanket access to all encrypted user content uploaded to the cloud, reports The Washington Post. The undisclosed order is said to have been issued last month, and requires that Apple creates a back door that allows UK security officials unencumbered access to encrypted user data worldwide – an unprecedented demand not before...
disney

Disney+ Loses 700,000 Subscribers Following Price Increase

Wednesday February 5, 2025 3:34 pm PST by
Disney+ lost 700,000 subscribers worldwide in recent months, according to Disney's earnings results for the first quarter of 2025. Disney said it now has 124.6 million Disney+ subscribers, a decrease of 0.7 million compared to its subscriber numbers in the fourth quarter of 2024. The drop in subscribers comes after Disney+ prices increased in the fall. Disney+ with Ads went from $7.99 to...
Apple Leak Feature

Apple Leaker Issues Apology: 'Profound and Expensive Mistake'

Friday February 7, 2025 9:21 am PST by
Last year, we reported that Apple sued its former software engineer Andrew Aude for providing journalists with confidential information about the company's future plans, including details about the Journal app, Vision Pro headset, and more. As reported by 9to5Mac, the Superior Court of Santa Clara County on Thursday dismissed the lawsuit after Apple and Aude reached an agreement to resolve...