Firefox Home Coming Soon to the iPhone
We have been working on an application for the iPhone based on the Firefox Sync (formerly Weave Sync) technology. The app is called Firefox Home, and it gives iPhone users instant access to their Firefox browsing history, bookmarks and the set of tabs from their most recent browser session.
Context & Ripple Effects
Mozilla had signaled an iPhone application in an October 2009 preview, while separate coverage in December described Firefox for mobile as nearing debut. Firefox Home brings the Sync layer into that mobile strategy without claiming to put the Firefox browser itself on the iPhone.
The move matters as Firefox's browser share was reported to be declining in March 2010: saved history, bookmarks, and open tabs give existing Firefox users a reason to keep their desktop browser central to their browsing routine.
First-order effects
- Firefox users with an iPhone gain mobile access to the browsing history, bookmarks, and most recent tabs held in Firefox Sync.
- Mozilla expands Firefox Sync from a desktop continuity feature into an iPhone-facing service, making the account and synced data more valuable to its installed user base.
Second-order effects
- Browser vendors competing for users who move between PCs and phones face added pressure to match cross-device continuity, rather than compete only on the browser running on each device.
- Firefox Home makes switching away from Firefox more inconvenient for users whose browsing records and active tabs are kept in Sync, strengthening Mozilla's retention tool as its share declines.
Third-order effects
- The release points toward browser competition shifting from standalone applications to synchronized user data and session continuity across devices, even where a vendor does not offer its full browser on every platform.
The trend: Mobile browsing is becoming an extension of the desktop browser identity, with synchronized bookmarks, history, and tabs serving as the connective layer.