A new version of Vivaldi is now live on Android

Aug 12, 2020 07:00 GMT  ·  By

A new version of Vivaldi browser is now available for download on Android, and just as expected, it comes with massive improvements especially in those areas that matter the most for users.

And the first of them is the built-in Tracker and Ad Blocker.

Privacy has always been a big deal for Vivaldi on the desktop, so the browser provides users with plenty of controls to block tracking and data collection. And the same approach has been expanded to mobile devices when Vivaldi first launched on Android, and today’s new update brings several improvements in this regard.

Beginning with Vivaldi 3.2, Android users can enable more than just one blocking list in the browser, which obviously reduces the likelihood of a tracker to actually be missed by the blocker.

And that’s not all. If third-party lists aren’t necessarily your cup of tea and you typically rely on your own lists, that’s okay. Starting with this update, Vivaldi supports users’ custom lists too, so you can manually define what trackers you want the browser to block. Combine a custom list with one that comes bundled with the browser and you get the ultimate protection arsenal.

“Vivaldi believes that users should always have the final say – how sites are displayed and which sites should know about them is ultimately the user’s choice. The blockers in Vivaldi are based on blocking lists of well-known tracker URLs. Vivaldi stops requests to those URLs before they are sent,” the Vivaldi team explains in an announcement.

“A series of preinstalled blocking lists/sources in Vivaldi offer more choice to users and can be easily enabled/disabled with a simple tick. Furthermore, users can even opt for a country-specific listed source depending on their region or preference.”

Vivaldi 3.2 for Android

Today’s update also includes a change that those with large phones (or with regularly sized phones but with ridiculously small hands) are going to love.

The previous version of Vivaldi moved certain buttons, like the bookmarks, history, and downloads, to the bottom of the screen, so theoretically, you’re able to tap a specific item much easier with just one hand. I’m using this with my Samsung Galaxy Note9 and I can tell that after the previous update, accessing certain features of Vivaldi has become much more convenient.

Version 3.2 continues this approach and brings tab buttons to the bottom of the screen too, including open, private, recently closed, and synced tabs. Of course, this isn’t a new approach, as there are several other mobile browsers out there that feature tab control buttons at the bottom of the screen, but it’s a welcome improvement that shows Vivaldi does care about feedback.

“A consistent layout across the entire app results in the predictability and usability that we strive for. Our aim in putting all navigation bars at the bottom is to make browsing with key functionality in Vivaldi just a thumb away,” says Atle Mo, Lead Designer of Vivaldi on Android.

The latest change happening in this update comes with nothing new in terms of functionality but adds extra when it comes to consistency. The Tab Strip, which is now called Tab Bar on the desktop, gets the new name on mobile as well, so those who are already using Vivaldi on a PC should now find the overall experience a little bit more familiar on an Android device too.

The new Vivaldi version is available today for everyone who wants to give it a try, and you need a device that runs Android 5 or newer to install the browser.

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Vivaldi 3.2 for Android
Vivaldi 3.2 for Android
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