Mozilla to replace Firefox on Android with new browser, dubbed "Fenix"

Mozilla may have one of the most popular browsers for desktop and laptop computers, but Firefox has failed to make a dent in the mobile browser market. Mozilla seems to think that Firefox on Android may have run its course and has plans to push out a new mobile browser, codenamed Fenix.

Firefox for Android, codenamed Fennec, hasn’t seen any substantial updates over the past year. In fact, most updates contain nothing more than bug fixes and minor optimizations. This may be because Mozilla has been planning to move Firefox into legacy status with a long-term support update scheme.

Mozilla recently released Fennec’s timeline in a support document, and that path details the browser’s entrance into end-of-life (EOL). Firefox for Android will move into an ESR (extended support release) channel in September this year in order to pave the way for something new: Fenix.

Apparently, Mozilla feels that Fennec has been diverting resources away from the development of Fenix, which explains why Fennec will be pushed to the ESR channel later this year. Updates for Fennec after that time should be few and far between and will likely be small fixes, allowing the Mozilla team to focus more attention on Fenix.

Eventually, Fennec will enter EOL and will no longer receive updates. This may happen as soon as next year, but Mozilla hasn’t offered any specifics. What is certain is that once Fenix is up and running and has reached “migration readiness,” Fennec will officially move into its EOL.

Looks like Firefox for Android may be blazing out sooner than expected, but Mozilla is sure to rise from Fennec’s ashes with Fenix.