Mozilla making 'Metro-style' full touchscreen Firefox for Windows 8

After challenging Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser in earlier versions of Microsoft’s Windows operating system, Mozilla may be set to pursue IE in Windows 8.

 

The open-source software maker indicated it is planning touch-based, full-screen Metro-style Firefox browser for Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8.

 

“The feature goal here is a new Gecko based browser built for and integrated with the Metro environment. Firefox on Metro, like all other Metro apps will be full screen, focused on touch interactions, and connected to the rest of the Metro environment through Windows 8 contracts,” Mozilla said in its Wiki for Windows 8.

 

It added Firefox on Metro will bring all of the Gecko capabilities to this new environment and may be run as a Medium integrity app.

 

Mozilla noted Windows 8 has two app environments: Classic, which is similar to the Windows 7 environment; and Metro, a tile-based environment.

 

“We may want to offer a live tile with user-centric data like friends’ presence or other Firefox Home information updates,” it said.

 

A separate article on PC World said Microsoft is set to unveil a consumer preview of Windows 8 on Feb. 29.

 

Firefox challenged the then-dominant – and lumbering - IE 6 in the 2000s with tabbed browsing and speed, and with extensions and add-ons.

 

IE’s version 10 is now the built-in browser in Windows 8. — TJD, GMA News