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<small>[[Roadmaps|< Product Roadmaps]] | [[Home|< Firefox Home Portal]]</small>
<small>[[Roadmaps|&lt; Product Roadmaps]]</small>  


<section begin=summary />{{RoadmapSummary
<section begin="summary" />{{RoadmapSummary
|icon=FirefoxHome.jpg
|icon=FirefoxHome.jpg
|pagelocation=Home/Roadmap
|pagelocation=Home/Roadmap
|pagetitle=Firefox Home 2011 Roadmap
|pagetitle=Firefox Home 2011 Roadmap
|owner=[mailto:tarend@mozilla.com Thomas Arend]
|owner=[mailto:tarend@mozilla.com Thomas Arend]
|updated=Feb 9, 2011
|updated=April 9, 2011
|status=Draft
|status=Draft
|description=We succeeded in re-energizing the browser market, creating competition and innovation which benefits Web application developers and users alike. This newly competitive market has presented challenges for the continued success of Firefox, and in 2011 we must ensure that we can deliver a product that is compelling to users in order to continue to be able to demonstrate our vision for the Web. This roadmap outlines our planned strategy and direction for Firefox in 2011.
|description=We at Mozilla believe that the web should be accessible and easy to use anywhere you go. Today’s mobile devices make it particularly hard to browse complex web pages that were not optimized for the mobile web. And nobody likes to type much on virtual keys or on small mobile keyboards anyway. Browsing on mobile devices should be easy, fast, fun, and secure - across all platforms. That is why we launched the Firefox Home app for iPhone in 2010. Firefox Home uses Firefox Sync to give you on-the-go access to bookmarks, open tabs, and browsing history from Firefox on your laptop and desktop computers and from your other connected mobile devices so you can type less and browse more. The Awesome Bar is the innovative way for accessing your online life with just one touch. And you can even share your favorite links easily with your friends. You can download Firefox Home from the iTunes App Store today.
}}<section end=summary />
This roadmap describes how Firefox Home will evolve from a native iPhone application into a cross-platform Web Application for a seamless Firefox web experience.
}}<section end="summary" />  


{{DoNotEdit}}
{{DoNotEdit}}  


Thanks for reading this document! Here's a quick guide:
== Overview<br> ==
* '''[[#Product Priorities for 2011|Product Priorities for 2011]]''' is most important bit, and the framing/context/priorities from which all Firefox project plans for the next 12-18 months should flow.
'''Firefox Home 2011''' - documents our status early 2011<br>'''Product Priorities for 2011 '''- is a set of proposed features that we would like to introduce to Firefox Home within the next 12-18 months<br>'''Not a Priority in 2011 '''- find out what is not a goal for Firefox Home in 2011<br>Doing the right thing - Read this part if you like to know how we are getting guidance on product development, how we measure success, and how you can share your feedback and get involved.<br>'''Product Roadmap 2011''' - is a proposed market delivery schedule based on the example project work laid out in previous sections<br>'''Looking (way) beyond 2011:''' Mobile Vision - what will the mobile web look like in the next few years, which trends do we see, how will user interactions shift<br>'''Feedback and Questions''' can be sent to tarend@mozilla.com - see section for more channels<br>'''More Info''' - Useful links for further reading
* '''[[#So, what are we building?|So, what are we building?]]''' is a set of proposed projects for Firefox and Firefox-related ecosystems which would support the priorities set out in the previous section. My goal is for '''leaders in each of these areas to actually create and vet plans''' that would serve those priorities; this is just offered as examples / for reaction.
* '''[[#How will we know how we're doing?|How will we know how we're doing?]]''' begins to explore what metrics we'll use to track success throughout the development and delivery cycles. As with the previous section, we'll need area leaders to own the actual plans, here.
* '''[[#Product Roadmap|Product Roadmap]]''' is a proposed market delivery schedule based on the example project work laid out in previous sections.
* '''Feedback and Questions''' can be sent to [mailto:beltzner@mozilla.com beltzner@mozilla.com] or added to the [[Talk:Firefox/Roadmap|discussion page]].


== tl;dr ==
== Firefox Home 2011  ==
# Ship Firefox 4, 5, 6 and 7 in the 2011 calendar year
# Always respond to a user action within 50 ms
# Never lose user data or state
# Build Web Apps, Identity and Social into the Open Web Platform
# Support new operating systems and hardware
# Polish the user experience for common interaction tasks
# Plan and architect for a future of a common platform on which the desktop and mobile products will be built and run Web Apps


Curious to know why those are the priorities for this year? Read on!
Firefox Home brings popular productivity features like the Firefox Awesome Screen and Firefox Sync to Apple devices for super-fast navigation with less tying, and for easy and seamless connection with all your desktop and Android mobile devices that run Firefox. In 2011 and 2012 we want to visually refresh Firefox Home, optimize it for devices like the iPhone and Apple tablets, add new productivity features, move the service to the cloud, and eventually integrate web apps. Find some of our ideas listed below.<br>


== Context: Back to Mission ==
== Product Priorities for 2011  ==
Firefox is Mozilla's expression of our [http://www.mozilla.org/about/manifesto.en.html manifesto] and [http://www.mozilla.org/about/mission.html mission]; it represents our vision of an Open Web Platform that is powerful, versatile, accessible, customizable, and interoperable. When we first shipped Firefox in 2004, our goal was to get the web moving again, and demonstrate the power of the technologies that made up the platform at that time.


We succeeded in re-energizing the browser market, creating competition and innovation which benefits Web application developers and users alike. This newly competitive market has presented challenges for the continued success of Firefox, and in 2011 we must ensure that we can deliver a product that is compelling to users in order to continue to be able to demonstrate our vision for the Web. To do this we must:
Here is a list of proposed features that we would like to introduce to Firefox Home within the next 12-18 months:  


* provide a browser that is stable and responsive,
*'''Better ease-of-use''' - we have many ideas on how to make Firefox Home better: favicons and interactive badges instead of text links, high-quality thumbnails, improved frecency algorithmus for a better awesome bar experience, better sharing and bookmarking, widgets with real-time information
* build a product for modern desktop and mobile hardware,
*'''Improved performance and lower memory footprint '''- we want to make Firefox Home even faster and smarter while using less memory on your mobile device
* provide a simple set of features & experiences to help users get the most out of the web,
*'''Harmonization with Firefox for Android''' (and Nokia) - while Firefox Home is not a mobile browser, all available and new features will be adjusted to look, feel, and behave exactly the same way across platforms and devices
* support web technologies that are desired most by application developers and users,
*'''Integration with new Mozilla Services '''- Firefox Home will integrate with upcoming Mozilla services like F1 for easy sharing, Mozilla ID for secure and easy single-sign-on on the web, and with advanced Firefox Sync features.
* deliver those technology improvements quickly to our user base.
*'''Web Apps''' - Firefox Home will be integrated with Web Apps and Web App Stores
*'''Web Service '''- Transition Firefox Home from a native iPhone app into a web app service that can be used online and on your device anywhere you go across desktop and mobile devices including currently unsupported mobile platforms<br>


It is important to remember, however, that gaining browser market share is not the only goal of Mozilla's mission. Our mission is to promote an Open Web Platform which is the most compelling environment for modern applications. Increasingly this vision is being threatened by application development models which bypass the Web in favour of directly connecting with Internet based resources in closed, proprietary models such as:
== Not a Priority in 2011  ==


* closed or single platform "App" SDKs (AIR, iOS, Android SDK, Chrome Web Store),
Apple's&nbsp;Terms of Service currently ban any web engines that are not based on web kit and also scripting languages like JavaScript. Hence, we are not able to offer a full-fledged web browser at this point. Sorry! We developed Firefox Home as a utility that brings core features like the [http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/mobile/features/#easypersonalization Awesome Screen and Firefox Sync] to Apple devices for easy connection with your desktop and Android mobile devices that all run Firefox.
* plug-in balkanization (h.264, .swf, NaCl),
* user personalizations and customizations kept in "walled clouds"


[[File:Firefox2011RoadmapImage1.png]]
We believe in giving users the choice and in innovating with open web standards. Our desktop and mobile (on Android and Nokia) Firefox browsers are based on the same technology platform. They both use a new multi-process architecture called “[https://wiki.mozilla.org/Electrolysis Electrolysis]” for highest speed, compatibility and for extensibility with a variety of browser add-ons, also the [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Gecko Gecko] rendering engine and a super-fast JavaScript engine, using Mozilla’s “[https://wiki.mozilla.org/JaegerMonkey JaegerMonkey]” just-in-time compiler.<br>


These types of challenges are not new to Mozilla, and once again our community must work to prove that open, interoperable technologies can exist on the same footing as closed, proprietary ones. To do this we must:
== Doing the right thing  ==


* work with the community to develop and support an open web "App" model,
How are we getting guidance on product development? How do we measure user satisfaction and success? And how can you share your feedback and get involved?
* identify the key elements of an open and interoperable social network and develop an open standard for them within the Web.


== Our Product Vision: What the web looks like in 24-36 Months ==
Easy: we ask *'''you'''*: At Mozilla we have a great tradition of listening to nobody but our loyal users and the awesome community of developers which have helped our users in the past to take back the web. We have many channels for input and communication from and between users, developers, community members and people here at Mozilla. You can check out http://support.mozilla.com or request help from within Firefox Home. [http://input.mozilla.com Mozilla Input] is another important channel that shows us trends in user feedback and satisfaction easily.


<small>''(This vision should be revisited and updated regularly. As with all good technology, it should always be aspirational and representative of a future we want to realize)''</small>
And, outside of all these channels, you can always check out [http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/mobile/getinvolved/ http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/mobile/getinvolved/] to get involved, to contribute your ideas and questions, to connect with our team and with the Firefox Home community. Feel free to contact me directly at [mailto:tarend@mozilla.com tarend@mozilla.com].<br>


Our mission implies a vision where the currently closed "App" ecosystem and walled social ecosystems are replaced with Open Web Platform based alternatives. While this may not be realizable within the next calendar year, a co-ordinated vision of what we're building towards will help keep our product plans on track and inform our technology choices:
== Product Roadmap 2011  ==


[[File:Firefox2011RoadmapImage2.png]]
This is a proposed market delivery schedule based on the example project work laid out in previous sections. Please note that features and time lines are projections and a basis for discussion, not a final commitment to a specific delivery date or release sequence. Actual releases, sequence and combination of features are subject to change:  


=== User scenario ===
=== v2  ===
This scenario illustrates the end-user experience of this sort of ecosystem:


[[File:Firefox2011RoadmapImage3.png|600px]]
'''''Home becomes Web App (with native iPhone and iPad wrapper)'''''


# Friend Status App bleeps, Johnath has said he's started using Pic2It for pics [Social API]
Introduce fresh visual design and move data and core functionality in the cloud
# Open Browser on Phone, search for "Pic2It"
## Result 1: Pic2It Web App [WebApps]
## Result 2: Pic2It Wikipedia Entry [WebApps]
## Result 3: Blog post by someone about Pic2It
# Click Result 1:
## Browser asks if I want to install Pic2It [WebApps]
## Pic2It asks if it can know who my contacts are [Identity/Social]
## Pic2It connects me to contacts [Identity/Social]
## Pic2It is now an app on my desktop [WebApps]
## Pic2It runs as headless Gecko Process [Flexible Architecture]
## I start browsing pictures in Pic2It, decide I like one, tell my browser I "like" it [Social API]
## Other users informed that I like that thing
# Click Result 2:
## Wikipedia App launches as headless Gecko Process to handle [WebApps, Flexible Architecture]
# Click Result 3:
## Browser loads and displays blog post
# Unplug smartphone from dock removing keyboard / mouse / monitor
## Firefox UI replaced with Fennec UI


=== Developer Scenario (TBD) ===
==== Platforms  ====
* NEED TO WORK UP WITH BLIZZARD
* not just design-code-debug, include distribute app
* competitor: iOS4


== Product Priorities for 2011 ==
*iPhone, iPad
Our product priorities for 2011 are determined by our overall organizational context and the vision we're trying to achieve. They represent our understanding of what's required in order to produce a web browser that will be both successful in the market and representative of our vision of the web.


# '''Ship our new technology to users in smaller bundles, more frequently'''
==== Features  ====
## Four technology shipment vehicles in 2011, including Firefox 4
## Achieve a regular cadence for shipping
# '''Develop a product that is responsive from "click to render"'''
## No more than 50ms delay between user action and application reaction
## Provide optimizations to hide network latency
## Obtain metrics from users in addition to our test infrastructure
# '''Expand the Open Web Platform to include Apps, Social and Identity'''
## Design and implement open systems for Identity and social interactions
## Design and implement Web Application Framework
## Implement missing pieces of CSS/HTML required for compelling Web Applications
# '''Never lose the user's data or state'''
## Continue to improve stability
## Mitigate the cost of application failure
## Interact with cloud-based storage to allow users to "take it with them"
# '''Shine the primary UI until it gleams'''
## Determine and optimize top 5-10 user interaction flows (ie: search for restaurant)
## Improve tools for customization/restoration of old functionality so we can remove it from primary UI
## Improve user interface polish so that Firefox feels modern, graceful and elegant
# '''Support modern operating systems and platforms'''
## support Firefox Windows 64-bit builds
## OSX 10.7 system integration
## Android 3.0 tablet integration
## ensure JIT performs well on modern ARM CPU families
# '''Plan for a future where Desktop, Mobile and Web Apps run on a common platform'''
## Need to design and architect towards this eventual outcome
## Implementation of this is not a priority


== So, what are we building? ==
*Same functionality as 1.0 version
We are a community of builders, tinkerers and engineers. We rely on our various leaders (at the module, component and project level) to take ownership and responsibility for what we're building. While product drivers expect to work with these people to ensure that the result is well co-ordinated, the impetus and prioritized plans must come from our distributed community. The following proposals can be used to start the discussion of how best to serve the priorities set out in the previous section.
*New visual design - awesome list turns into search field + interactive app/web page icons or tiles; optimized user experience for iPad<br>
*Access to history, bookmarks(?), remote tabs; access listings quickly through the Awesome Bar<br>
*Managing unencrypted data
*New server design - to support switch to web services
*Mozilla ID log in - integration with Mozilla’s new identity service for secure and easy single-signon with your iPhone or iPad<br>
*Personas (optional)


=== Firefox Front End ===
==== Actions  ====
* Simple Sharing
* Animations in the user interface
* 50 high priority polish issues for common taskflows
* Asynchronous Places
* Account Manager
* Remove Smart Search functionality from Bookmark Manager
* Electrolysis
* Web Application Install/Uninstall Support
* Process-per-tab to mitigate effects of crashes


=== Web Platform ===
*Publish Privacy Policy
* Hardware Accelerate <canvas>
*Detail out and document sync encryption<br>
* CSS 3D Transforms
* Seamless switch to fullscreen video
* Websockets
* input type=camera, video
* Low Power mode
* IndexedDB


=== Gecko Platform Development ===
=== v3  ===
* Gather performance metrics from users
* Support Windows 64-bit builds
* Document how to design a common platform to be used for interchangably running desktop, mobile or chromeless web apps
* Integrate with new OSX 10.7 user interface
* Integrate with new Android 3.0 user interface
* Ensure JIT performs well on modern ARM CPU families


=== JavaScript Engine ===
Expand platforms, enhance visuals Show more data to help the user make decisions on what they want to tap on
* tbd


=== Add-Ons, Plugins, Customizations ===
==== Platforms  ====
* Easier UI customization that links to Add-on discovery
** Primary path/UI to support: JetPack and Personas
** Secondary path: add-ons, themes
* Add support for Greasemonkey like scripts via JetPack?
* Addons story that doesn't suck / good metrics / disable-as-soon-as-it crashes
* Fix PFS
** simple update path for plugins
** simple discovery & install path for plugins
* need better policy around expectations
* need better support and enforcement for versioning expectations
* not a lot of vendors come to MDC
* improving IPC / sandboxing
* NaCl? some vendor push, here, mostly from Adobe


=== Developer Tools ===
*Added support for currently unsupported devices like Symbian, Blackberry (web only); Android, iPhone, iPad (web and native app)
* Console & Inspector
* Providing Diffs
* Integration with GitHub
* How it meshes with open web app ecosystem


=== Distribution Support ===
==== Features  ====
* direct download
* stub downloader
* ability to create custom bundles of add-ons and product and customizations
* BYOB
* MSI


=== Build to Brand ===
*Badging: home icons show realtime information, e.g. #unread messages
Firefox has a strong brand based on the Mozilla mission, which must be enforced through our product's design ethos:

*Pull in feeds, e.g. for up-to-date news from sites (e.g. CNN latest news, GMail unread messages, weather, etc.)
* Put the user in control
*Add passwords and user ids to sync data for even less typing
** Fully customizable
*Account creation (integration with Mozilla ID)  
** Full control over private information
*Use more data for better awesome results: context information like location, time of day, day of week, etc.
** Can always take their data with them
* Freedom for hackers
** Open source (duh)
** Tools for hacking and exploring


== How will we know how we're doing? ==
=== v4<br> ===
In order to measure the effect of this plan, we will employ the new capabilities provided by the Metrics and Engagement groups to obtain metrics on:
* Usage and market share
* Customer satisfaction amongst end users and web developers
* Brand impressions amongst end users, web developers, and technology influencers


The Market Research team will also be employed to provide competitive analyses and validation of prioritization decisions.
''Make Home more Social'' Integrate Home for easy interaction with your friends


== Product Roadmap ==
==== Features  ====
Changing the way we ship products will require the re-evaluation of many assumptions (see below) and a large shift in the way we think about the size of a "major" release. The criteria for inclusion should be no regressions, well understood effects for users, and completion in time for a planned release vehicle. Again, these serve as proposals and should not be taken as prescriptive:


=== Firefox 5 ===
*New sharing mechanisms
* Account Manager
*mozilla sharing platform integration
* Simple Sharing UI
*direct from facebook, twitter
* UI Animation
*Use more data for better awesome results: location, search results, followed links
* 64 Bit on Windows
*<br>
* ...anything that improves responsiveness and is ready
* ...anything that improves stability and is ready
* ...anything that polishes the user interface and is ready
* ...anything else serving product priorities and is ready


=== Firefox 6 ===
=== v5<br> ===
* Web Applications
* FasterCache
* OSX 10.7
* JS Optimizations
* ...anything that improves responsiveness and is ready
* ...anything that improves stability and is ready
* ...anything that polishes the user interface and is ready
* ...anything else serving product priorities and is ready


=== Firefox 7 ===
''Provide direct link with sites and additional data''<br>--&gt; Make Firefox Home more interactive and show real-time data and dynamic previews<br>
* e10s? deXBLification?
* ...anything that improves responsiveness and is ready
* ...anything that improves stability and is ready
* ...anything that polishes the user interface and is ready
* ...anything else serving product priorities and is ready


== How to ship faster ==
==== ''Platforms''<br>  ====
There's no such thing as a free lunch. To ship smaller bundles of technology more quickly will require us to take a hard look at our existing systems and re-evaluate some of the assumptions we take as immutable, such as:
 
* we must provide binary compatibility for Add-ons
*Home supports Desktop (web version)
* we must support older branches with maintenance fixes
 
* intermittent oranges are unavoidable
==== ''Features''<br>  ====
* scaling localization
 
* we cannot predict the effect of our changes without large scale beta testing
*Widgets on Home Screen pull in live info from web sources (e.g. show latest CNN news or ESPN scores)
* all code needs formal code review
*Integrate with other services like Mozilla Add-ons (AMO, addons.mozilla.com), snippet server, contacts, stumble-upon, etc.
* every contributor knows how to obtain code review expediently
*Go from a pull model to a push model - allowing web services to actively push data to users based on new web standards
* every contributor gets equal say on issues of user interface design and technology prioritization
 
==== ''Action''s<br>  ====
 
*Publish a manifest for widgets; describe how sites can push information to us<br>
 
=== v6 ===
 
''Home integrates with Firefox for mobile'''''<br>'''
 
==== Platforms  ====
 
*All Platforms that run Firefox for mobile - currently this is Android and Nokia’s Maemo
 
==== Features ====
 
* Show all features of Firefox Home Verion 5 within the Firefox for mobile browser with the same look &amp; feel
 
=== v7 ===
 
'''''Web App support'''''<br>--&gt;&nbsp;Integrate Web Apps with Firefox Home for easy access
 
==== Platforms<br>  ====
 
*all supported platforms
 
==== Features<br>  ====
 
*Integration of Web Apps into Awesome Screen (e.g. search for "Scrabble" shows relevant browsing history, web search results and also matching web apps)<br>
*Ability to launch web applications
*Use as mechanism for other data (e.g. google docs, contacts, etc) - find data through apps
*Discoverability of web apps? (e.g. store/search/purchasing)
 
 
=== '''Future''' ===
 
'''''Longer-term ideas and research'''''
 
--&gt; A selection of some of our wild ideas and research topics
 
*Embedded systems in cars, TVs
*Launcher that supports web apps for all of your applications, phone, dialing, video chat, etc.
*Support “add-ons” in the home server<br>
*secure multi-user concept
*Master Password - managing web-based JPAKE - Introduce master password as part of “Mozilla ID”
*Multi-Device and seemless intergration / sync<br>
*read / write from mobile device
*Home becomes mobile device home screen<br>
 
== Looking (way) beyond 2011 ==
What will the mobile web look like in the next few years, which trends do we see, how will user interactions shift? See [http://bit.ly/mobilevision http://bit.ly/mobilevision] to learn about some of the things that inspire us.
 
== More Info ==
*[https://wiki.mozilla.org/Mobile/firefoxhome Firefox Home Wiki (Designs, Meetings, Details)]
*[http://wiki.mozilla.org/Mobile/ Mozilla Mobile Wiki (Firefox Home and Firefox for Android)]
*[http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/mobile/ Official Mozilla Mobile Page]
*[https://wiki.mozilla.org/Fennec/Roadmap Firefox for Android Road Map]
*[http://bit.ly/mobilevision Mobile Vision]
*[http://gigaom.com/2010/04/12/mary-meeker-mobile-internet-will-soon-overtake-fixed-internet Mary Meeker on Mobile in 2010, 2011]
*[http://www.ideo.com/work/social-mobiles IDEO: Social Mobiles]
*[http://www.slideshare.net/rudydw/mobile-trends-2020 Mobile Trends 2020]


'''TODO''': Process change suggestions (w/Shaver)


[[Category:Roadmaps]]
[[Category:Roadmaps]]

Latest revision as of 22:19, 18 May 2011

< Product Roadmaps

FirefoxHome.jpg Firefox Home 2011 Roadmap
Owner: Thomas Arend Updated: 2011-05-18
We at Mozilla believe that the web should be accessible and easy to use anywhere you go. Today’s mobile devices make it particularly hard to browse complex web pages that were not optimized for the mobile web. And nobody likes to type much on virtual keys or on small mobile keyboards anyway. Browsing on mobile devices should be easy, fast, fun, and secure - across all platforms. That is why we launched the Firefox Home app for iPhone in 2010. Firefox Home uses Firefox Sync to give you on-the-go access to bookmarks, open tabs, and browsing history from Firefox on your laptop and desktop computers and from your other connected mobile devices so you can type less and browse more. The Awesome Bar is the innovative way for accessing your online life with just one touch. And you can even share your favorite links easily with your friends. You can download Firefox Home from the iTunes App Store today. This roadmap describes how Firefox Home will evolve from a native iPhone application into a cross-platform Web Application for a seamless Firefox web experience.
Please do not edit this page without permission.
Thank you!

Overview

Firefox Home 2011 - documents our status early 2011
Product Priorities for 2011 - is a set of proposed features that we would like to introduce to Firefox Home within the next 12-18 months
Not a Priority in 2011 - find out what is not a goal for Firefox Home in 2011
Doing the right thing - Read this part if you like to know how we are getting guidance on product development, how we measure success, and how you can share your feedback and get involved.
Product Roadmap 2011 - is a proposed market delivery schedule based on the example project work laid out in previous sections
Looking (way) beyond 2011: Mobile Vision - what will the mobile web look like in the next few years, which trends do we see, how will user interactions shift
Feedback and Questions can be sent to tarend@mozilla.com - see section for more channels
More Info - Useful links for further reading

Firefox Home 2011

Firefox Home brings popular productivity features like the Firefox Awesome Screen and Firefox Sync to Apple devices for super-fast navigation with less tying, and for easy and seamless connection with all your desktop and Android mobile devices that run Firefox. In 2011 and 2012 we want to visually refresh Firefox Home, optimize it for devices like the iPhone and Apple tablets, add new productivity features, move the service to the cloud, and eventually integrate web apps. Find some of our ideas listed below.

Product Priorities for 2011

Here is a list of proposed features that we would like to introduce to Firefox Home within the next 12-18 months:

  • Better ease-of-use - we have many ideas on how to make Firefox Home better: favicons and interactive badges instead of text links, high-quality thumbnails, improved frecency algorithmus for a better awesome bar experience, better sharing and bookmarking, widgets with real-time information
  • Improved performance and lower memory footprint - we want to make Firefox Home even faster and smarter while using less memory on your mobile device
  • Harmonization with Firefox for Android (and Nokia) - while Firefox Home is not a mobile browser, all available and new features will be adjusted to look, feel, and behave exactly the same way across platforms and devices
  • Integration with new Mozilla Services - Firefox Home will integrate with upcoming Mozilla services like F1 for easy sharing, Mozilla ID for secure and easy single-sign-on on the web, and with advanced Firefox Sync features.
  • Web Apps - Firefox Home will be integrated with Web Apps and Web App Stores
  • Web Service - Transition Firefox Home from a native iPhone app into a web app service that can be used online and on your device anywhere you go across desktop and mobile devices including currently unsupported mobile platforms

Not a Priority in 2011

Apple's Terms of Service currently ban any web engines that are not based on web kit and also scripting languages like JavaScript. Hence, we are not able to offer a full-fledged web browser at this point. Sorry! We developed Firefox Home as a utility that brings core features like the Awesome Screen and Firefox Sync to Apple devices for easy connection with your desktop and Android mobile devices that all run Firefox.

We believe in giving users the choice and in innovating with open web standards. Our desktop and mobile (on Android and Nokia) Firefox browsers are based on the same technology platform. They both use a new multi-process architecture called “Electrolysis” for highest speed, compatibility and for extensibility with a variety of browser add-ons, also the Gecko rendering engine and a super-fast JavaScript engine, using Mozilla’s “JaegerMonkey” just-in-time compiler.

Doing the right thing

How are we getting guidance on product development? How do we measure user satisfaction and success? And how can you share your feedback and get involved?

Easy: we ask *you*: At Mozilla we have a great tradition of listening to nobody but our loyal users and the awesome community of developers which have helped our users in the past to take back the web. We have many channels for input and communication from and between users, developers, community members and people here at Mozilla. You can check out http://support.mozilla.com or request help from within Firefox Home. Mozilla Input is another important channel that shows us trends in user feedback and satisfaction easily.

And, outside of all these channels, you can always check out http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/mobile/getinvolved/ to get involved, to contribute your ideas and questions, to connect with our team and with the Firefox Home community. Feel free to contact me directly at tarend@mozilla.com.

Product Roadmap 2011

This is a proposed market delivery schedule based on the example project work laid out in previous sections. Please note that features and time lines are projections and a basis for discussion, not a final commitment to a specific delivery date or release sequence. Actual releases, sequence and combination of features are subject to change:

v2

Home becomes Web App (with native iPhone and iPad wrapper)

Introduce fresh visual design and move data and core functionality in the cloud

Platforms

  • iPhone, iPad

Features

  • Same functionality as 1.0 version
  • New visual design - awesome list turns into search field + interactive app/web page icons or tiles; optimized user experience for iPad
  • Access to history, bookmarks(?), remote tabs; access listings quickly through the Awesome Bar
  • Managing unencrypted data
  • New server design - to support switch to web services
  • Mozilla ID log in - integration with Mozilla’s new identity service for secure and easy single-signon with your iPhone or iPad
  • Personas (optional)

Actions

  • Publish Privacy Policy
  • Detail out and document sync encryption

v3

Expand platforms, enhance visuals Show more data to help the user make decisions on what they want to tap on

Platforms

  • Added support for currently unsupported devices like Symbian, Blackberry (web only); Android, iPhone, iPad (web and native app)

Features

  • Badging: home icons show realtime information, e.g. #unread messages
  • Pull in feeds, e.g. for up-to-date news from sites (e.g. CNN latest news, GMail unread messages, weather, etc.)
  • Add passwords and user ids to sync data for even less typing
  • Account creation (integration with Mozilla ID)
  • Use more data for better awesome results: context information like location, time of day, day of week, etc.

v4

Make Home more Social Integrate Home for easy interaction with your friends

Features

  • New sharing mechanisms
  • mozilla sharing platform integration
  • direct from facebook, twitter
  • Use more data for better awesome results: location, search results, followed links

v5

Provide direct link with sites and additional data
--> Make Firefox Home more interactive and show real-time data and dynamic previews

Platforms

  • Home supports Desktop (web version)

Features

  • Widgets on Home Screen pull in live info from web sources (e.g. show latest CNN news or ESPN scores)
  • Integrate with other services like Mozilla Add-ons (AMO, addons.mozilla.com), snippet server, contacts, stumble-upon, etc.
  • Go from a pull model to a push model - allowing web services to actively push data to users based on new web standards

Actions

  • Publish a manifest for widgets; describe how sites can push information to us

v6

Home integrates with Firefox for mobile

Platforms

  • All Platforms that run Firefox for mobile - currently this is Android and Nokia’s Maemo

Features

  • Show all features of Firefox Home Verion 5 within the Firefox for mobile browser with the same look & feel

v7

Web App support
--> Integrate Web Apps with Firefox Home for easy access

Platforms

  • all supported platforms

Features

  • Integration of Web Apps into Awesome Screen (e.g. search for "Scrabble" shows relevant browsing history, web search results and also matching web apps)
  • Ability to launch web applications
  • Use as mechanism for other data (e.g. google docs, contacts, etc) - find data through apps
  • Discoverability of web apps? (e.g. store/search/purchasing)


Future

Longer-term ideas and research

--> A selection of some of our wild ideas and research topics

  • Embedded systems in cars, TVs
  • Launcher that supports web apps for all of your applications, phone, dialing, video chat, etc.
  • Support “add-ons” in the home server
  • secure multi-user concept
  • Master Password - managing web-based JPAKE - Introduce master password as part of “Mozilla ID”
  • Multi-Device and seemless intergration / sync
  • read / write from mobile device
  • Home becomes mobile device home screen

Looking (way) beyond 2011

What will the mobile web look like in the next few years, which trends do we see, how will user interactions shift? See http://bit.ly/mobilevision to learn about some of the things that inspire us.

More Info

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