Mozilla expands extension support for Firefox for Android

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Mozilla’s move to greatly expand Firefox for Android’s extension support is welcomed as a win for power users and web privacy, especially for those relying on tools like uBlock Origin, containers, and cookie managers to make mobile browsing tolerable. Commenters question why full support took years—citing product decisions, resource constraints, and suspicions about Mozilla’s dependence on Google funding—while also highlighting remaining gaps such as about:config on stable, sideloading add-ons, and sync of extensions on mobile. The change is seen as important for preserving browser-engine diversity and giving users more control over an increasingly ad-heavy mobile web.

iOS restrictions and future engines

  • Many commenters lament the lack of real Firefox (Gecko) and full extensions on iOS, blaming Apple’s WebKit-only rule.
  • Some note WebKit-based browsers like Orion support extensions by embedding WebExtensions in WebKit, but this is non-trivial and Firefox for iOS is architecturally separate from desktop/Android.
  • EU regulation (DMA) is expected to force Apple to allow other engines; Mozilla and Google are reportedly already porting.

Competing Android browsers and “major” status

  • Debate over Mozilla’s claim to be the only “major” Android browser with an open extension ecosystem.
  • Kiwi Browser is cited as Chromium-based with long‑standing extension and devtools support; others argue Kiwi is niche and sometimes lags badly behind Chromium, with security concerns.
  • Data shared shows Firefox’s mobile market share is low and smaller than Opera’s; some question whether Firefox itself is “major.”

History and delay of Android extension support

  • Old Firefox for Android once supported all extensions and about:config. The 2020 Fenix rewrite launched with only a small curated set (notably including uBlock Origin).
  • Several ex‑Mozilla developers describe the rewrite as an exhausting “death march” with under‑resourced teams and product decisions to limit APIs and add-ons to protect stability, performance, and security.
  • Others argue most extensions “just worked” in forks like Iceraven and Fennec F-Droid, and Mozilla should have exposed them behind an advanced/“here be dragons” toggle.

Sideloading, AMO, and control

  • Strong demand for sideloading .xpi files and installing non‑AMO extensions, especially after takedowns like Bypass Paywalls Clean under DMCA.
  • Nightly recently re‑enabled direct sideloading via a hidden menu; a Mozilla dev says the goal is to bring this to stable.
  • Some see Mozilla’s centralized AMO control and slow expansion as pragmatism against malware; others see it as user‑hostile.

Extensions, privacy, and use cases

  • uBlock Origin is treated as essential; without it, many find mobile web “unusable.” DNS blockers (Pi-hole, NextDNS) are seen as complementary but insufficient.
  • Other valued add-ons: cookie/cookie-banner blockers, dark mode, userscript managers, multi‑account containers, tab/cookie management.
  • Requests persist for about:config on stable Android to disable telemetry and tweak privacy/security options.

Trust, funding, and community tone

  • Firefox is widely praised as critical non‑Chromium competition and the best mainstream privacy option; many pledge to use it to keep the web healthy.
  • At the same time, there is harsh criticism of Mozilla’s leadership (Google funding dependence, salaries, past product choices) and speculation—contested by others—about Google influence.
  • Several former contributors mention that sustained negativity and conspiracy theories have been demoralizing, even when engineering work is high quality.