Mozilla just released a version its Focus browser for privacy-conscious Android users.
Previously limited to iOS, Firefox Focus automatically blocks ads and many of the trackers that normally follow you around the web and slow down your browsing. This so-called "privacy browser" also lets you easily erase your history, passwords, and cookies, so you won't be followed by unwanted ads.
With Focus "you can save data and even browse faster," Firefox mobile Product Manager Barbara Bermes said in a video. "Overall, Firefox Focus helps you control your digital life."
In a blog post, she added that trackers "are notoriously known for slowing down your mobile experience."
"Why do we block these ad trackers? Because they not only track your behavior without your knowledge, they also slow down the web on your mobile device," she wrote.
Like the iOS version, the new Android app is "free of tabs and other visual clutter" and you can erase your sessions with a single tap. The Android version also includes an ad tracker counter, which lists the number of ads that are blocked per site while you're using the app. There's also an option to disable the tracker blocker, which you can use if you encounter any sites that don't load properly. The app will also remind you with a notification to tap and erase your browsing history.
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"For Android users we also made Focus a great default browser experience," Bermes wrote. "Since we support both custom tabs and the ability to disable the ad blocking as needed, it works great with apps like Facebook when you just want to read an article without being tracked."
Focus earned a "good" rating in PCMag's review of the iOS version. We concluded that it "can protect you from snoops with access to your phone and Web trackers, too" but said "that protection comes at the cost of features and speed."
Focus is available for download in Google Play and the App Store.
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