Mozilla has recently introduced Firefox 124.0 Stable and Firefox 115.9 ESR, delivering both security enhancements and fresh features to the Firefox web browser.
Key highlights of this update include the addition of caret browsing in the integrated PDF reader, expanded availability of search engines Qwant and Ecosia, and a new tab sorting view mode in Firefox View.
All Firefox development versions have been updated concurrently, with Firefox Beta and Development progressing to version 125 and Firefox Nightly moving forward as well. The Android version is now aligned with the desktop version, upgrading to version 124 simultaneously.
Executive Summary
- Firefox 124 primarily focuses on security updates.
- There are a few new features and improvements, including caret browsing mode in the PDF viewer.
- Mozilla seems to have addressed the issue of “all black” thumbnails on older AMD systems.
Firefox 124.0 download and update
Firefox typically automatically installs updates, with version 124.0 scheduled for automatic installation on most systems. However, real-time updates may take some time.
Note: This review is posted prior to the official release. Updates will be available later on the day of publication.
To promptly install the update, users can manually check for updates by selecting Firefox Menu > Help > About Firefox to trigger the installation process.
Official download locations:
Firefox 124.0 changes
Firefox View: new tab sort order
Firefox View, a feature for tab and activity management, now enables users to arrange open tabs by tab order rather than activity freshness. This change enhances tab organization by aligning with the order tabs appear in the tab bar.
Other changes and fixes
- The Qwant search engine is now accessible in the France region in addition to several other countries.
- The Ecosia search engine is now available in the Germany region and several other countries.
- Caret browsing mode is now supported in Firefox’s native PDF viewer.
- Improved population of the jump list for Firefox on the Windows taskbar to enhance browsing experience.
- Enhanced macOS fullscreen API utilization for an improved user experience on macOS.
Developer changes
- Added support for AbortSignal.any() for operation cancellation from multiple signal sources.
- ::first-letter and ::first-line CSS pseudo-elements can now be applied to the <text> SVG element.
- The runtime.onPerformanceWarning event notifies extension developers of runtime performance issues.
- Added support for SharedArrayBuffer growable and resizing ArrayBuffer (enable via config options).
Enterprise changes
Mozilla introduced a new policy and updated another in Firefox 124.0:
- New AllowFileSelectionDialogs policy for managing file selection dialogs in Firefox.
- Enhanced DNSOverHTTPS policy to support setting a fallback value to prevent default DNS provider fallback.
Security updates / fixes
Will be updated once Mozilla releases information.
Outlook
Upcoming releases: Firefox 125 and Firefox ESR 115.10 are scheduled for April 16, 2024.
Photo credit: dennizn / Shutterstock
