14 DAY TRIAL // Firefox for Android is in its very early development stages, yet progress is being made, and those who are working on it have just announced a new step forward, in the form of nightly builds for the mobile browser. Currently, the solution is in a pre-alpha status, and works only on some devices, namely on Nexus One and Motorola DROID, requiring Google Android 2.0 or higher , OpenGL ES2.0, and an ARMv7 (Cortex) processor, but more devices are expected to be added into the equation soon.
“Our automated build machines have just started producing pre-alpha Fennec for Android builds with the latest changes from developers each night. We have similar builds for the desktop version of Firefox and for the N900 to let testers have a way of getting the latest changes to provide feedback and report bugs. There are many changes that go in to each build, causing quality to vary some from day to day, but we’re always working to improve and stabilize the builds,” a recent post on blog.pavlov.net states.
For the time being, the Firefox for Android builds that are pushed out are still pre-alpha, yet advancements are being made, and they should change in time. The developing team managed to make a series of exciting changes to the solution, and the next weeks should bring to the table something more concrete, it seems. The final version of the mobile browser is targeted to land before the end of the ongoing year, which means that the first beta flavors should arrive pretty soon.
While the browser has been tested only on Nexus One and DROID, others managed to install it on handsets like Droid Incredible (HTC Incredible), HTC Legend, Desire and Samsung Galaxy Spica too. “We currently only run on Android 2.0 and above, and some bugs could cause your phone to stop responding, requiring a reboot. If you have installed our earlier build, you will need to uninstall it before this one will install due to a change in the way the builds are signed. These builds do not auto-update yet, so you’ll have to manually grab a new build when you want to see the newest changes,” the blog post continues. Additional info on the latest advancements on Firefox for Android can be found here.