Mozilla Firefox 68 for Android Released With Support for Web Authentication Support

Mozilla has released Firefox 68 for Android that brings support for the Web Authentication API. The latest Firefox version also includes compatibility fixes for Android Q. Notably, the new Firefox build debuts just days after Mozilla announced its next-generation Web browser that's currently available for testing as the Firefox Preview. The fresh release is also the last feature-rich Firefox browser as the company has already announced its plans to put the existing browser on maintenance mode to make way for the new offering.

Web Authentication API support is a part of the latest Firefox for Android, as reported by Android Police. It enables users to use their security keys instead of typing passwords manually on sites. Google is notably offering Web Authentication API support on Chrome for Android for some time -- particularly since the release of Chrome 67 back in June last year.

In addition to the support for Web Authentication API, the updated Firefox for Android is said to include about:compat that lists website-specific workarounds. "With about:compat, it is now easy to see all of the workarounds that are active in Firefox, and easy for website developers to disable a given workaround for testing purposes," reads the description on the release notes pertaining to the Firefox 68.0 beta build.

The updated Firefox for Android also is also reported to remove redundant calculations during pain to improve webpage painting performance. Similarly, there are various compatibility fixes for Android Q that is yet to receive the final image. The update also unifies existing locales bn-BD and bn-IN under a single Bengali (bn) localisation. Furthermore, the update removes unmaintained languages, including Assamese, Maithili, and Odia.

You can download the updated Firefox for Android on your device by visiting Google Play.

Notably, Mozilla hasn't yet published the updated release notes detailing the new Firefox build. Android Police, however, has mentioned all the changes in the new version that were a part of the last Firefox beta.

As mentioned, the new browser comes just days after Mozilla detailed the Firefox Preview for Android as the beta version of its next-generation offering. The browser, which was originally released as Fenix earlier this year, is based on GeckoView engine and includes a Collections feature to save, organise, and share favourite sites.