1.1.0 - Android
Waterfox for Android is now completely rebuilt from the ground up. Instead of using Mozilla’s pre-built Android Components, everything is now compiled from scratch - Android Components, Gecko, SpiderMonkey, the lot. This gives way more control over performance, privacy, and what features are actually implemented.
Stability Through ESR
Section titled “Stability Through ESR”- Moved to ESR (Extended Support Release) codebase for rock-solid stability
- Solves the constant breakage problem - Mozilla’s Android Components used to break the previous app with every release, making regular updates nearly impossible which is why there was such a massive gap in releases
Performance Optimisations
Section titled “Performance Optimisations”- Maximum optimisation settings - Compiling Android Components and Gecko from scratch lets us use advanced compiler optimisations (like -O3) that aren’t possible with pre-built components
- Faster browsing and better battery life from optimised code compilation
Privacy Changes
Section titled “Privacy Changes”Complete Tracking Removal
Section titled “Complete Tracking Removal”- Zero telemetry - No data collection of any kind
- Created ‘dummy’ versions of tracking services instead of removing packages entirely - this lets us keep up with upstream and not fall behind on features while also disabling their functionality
- No sponsored content or advertising integrations
- Disabled experimentation frameworks that send usage data
Advanced Privacy Features
Section titled “Advanced Privacy Features”- Enhanced DNS over HTTPS with new Ultra Protection mode using Oblivious HTTP (no more needing to restart the app!)
- Privacy-first defaults across all settings
- about:config access for power users
- Site Isolation (Fission) enabled for better security
Features
Section titled “Features”Add-on Support Revolution
Section titled “Add-on Support Revolution”- Browse the entire Mozilla Add-ons store - Go directly to addons.mozilla.org or via the browser extensions page and browse everything without getting redirected
- Install directly from the full add-on store - No more awkward steps, one click install works. You can also browse and install from the Android compatible only version of the add-on store
- Custom AMO collections - You can now add your own custom Mozilla Add-ons collections
- Install extensions from files - Direct WebExtension installation from .xpi files
Search and Navigation
Section titled “Search and Navigation”- Privacy-focused search engines - Added DuckDuckGo, Startpage, Mojeek, and Qwant
- Waterfox-specific top sites replacing generic defaults
- JPEG-XL support for next-generation images
Streamlined Experience
Section titled “Streamlined Experience”- Removed unnecessary features like Pocket integration and content recommendations
- Disabled review prompts and feedback collection
Distribution & Availability
Section titled “Distribution & Availability”- Infrastructure being set up for .apk deployment on GitHub releases
- Alternative app store submission in progress for broader availability outside of Google Play
What This Means Going Forward
Section titled “What This Means Going Forward”Compiling everything from scratch means features that were impossible with pre-built Android Components (like Oblivious HTTP, which required awkward workarounds) are now more straighforward. ESR gives us a stable foundation so we can focus on building features instead of constantly fixing breakages from upstream changes.
We’re sticking with ESR for now, but if we don’t see loads of breakages with our patches, we might move to rapid release later.
The performance improvements from custom optimisations should be noticeable - faster browsing and better battery life compared to the previous version.