Mozilla released Firefox 160, adding local Web Speech API speech-to-text in 40 languages, Mini Window tab separation, and macOS WebGL rendering via Apple Metal.
The release also includes MKV FLAC audio support, address bar refinements, and default Local Network Access restrictions on Android.
The new features on the screen
The most notable addition is the Mini Window feature, which allows users to move a tab or selected portion of a web page into a separate window that stays on top of other apps, keeping the content visible while working in other tabs.
Additionally, the built-in video player in a separate small window now has speed control buttons, allowing users to adjust playback from 0.25x to 2.0x, as long as the window is medium-sized or larger.
Voice recognition and multimedia improvements
Firefox 160 now supports speech recognition directly on the device. This means it can convert voice to text in real-time in 40 languages, allowing websites to use the feature without sending audio files to remote services.
In the multimedia department, the browser now supports the playback of video files containing specific audio types, such as FLAC, MP3 or PCM. In addition, Mac users benefit from improved graphics performance on some websites.
Convenience in everyday use
The new version brings changes for more comfortable navigation:
- Users can drag entries from history directly to the tab bar to open in new tabs.
- The address bar features stronger visual contrast between the website name and the rest of the letters, making it easier to distinguish the page you are visiting.
- The options menu in the address bar displays the "Paste and Search" option instead of "Paste and Go" when there is a search term in the clipboard and not a web address.
- PDF documents saved through the browser now include additional data that helps special reading programs for people with visual impairments.
Privacy and network restrictions
At the permissions level, Firefox now offers a permanent blocking option for websites that repeatedly ask for permission to open external applications.
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On the Android version, local network access restrictions are now enabled by default. Websites are required to ask for permission before connecting to devices on the local network.
Bug fixes
The new version resolves annoying issues, such as losing the first letter when typing in the search bar immediately after clicking on it, as well as multi-second hangs when connecting to internal corporate networks.
On Mac computers, we fixed issues where downloaded files would open in the wrong application, links from other programs would unexpectedly bring Firefox to the foreground, and difficulties with save windows when starting multiple downloads at once.
On Android, issues were resolved in displaying addresses with non-Latin characters, handling addresses with spaces, and positioning the text cursor with touch gestures.
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