Mozilla has announced the release of Firefox 65 Web Browser for Linux, Mac, and Windows. This is one of the major updates to the popular open-source web browser.
In a nutshell, the new version gets enhanced tracking protection and two new much-awaited features have been added, namely the support for AV1 video codec and WebP image format. The video and image compression technologies will reduce page loading times. They will also reduce bandwidth usage.
Mozilla has been working on supporting the two standards for some time. They decided to incorporate them into Mozilla Firefox after the technologies became popular. Google launched the WebP image format to speed up the page loading time and Google Chrome has been supporting it since the beginning. The standards are used by several popular software, websites and browser vendors.
The new v65 has the capability to block content and also comes with the enhanced tracking protection. The browser is interactive and when it blocks content, it explains why it is it doing so.
When it comes to resources, v65 shows the extension it is utilizing at any given time. It also shows the amount of Random Access Memory (RAM) the Firefox page is using. This feature was non-existent in the previous versions.
On security, Mozilla v65 has become even better by featuring stack smashing protection. It includes protection against an attack where the hackers create a stack buffer overflow. The buffer overflows is intended to help in taking control of the browser’s code.
Still, on security, the v65 feature an improved version of the popup blocker. It is now better in preventing the opening of several pop-up windows.
Another change includes warning users when they close windows. It will do so even when you have automatic session restore enabled for the restart. Mozilla also says that the new version will make scrolling better, comes with improved performance and enhanced responsiveness.
One the developer front, Firefox 65 offers added support for Flexbox, which is now enabled by default. It is an inspector tool that details Flexbox containers and helps debug Flex item sizes.
Overall, you get a chance to enjoy unprecedented web compatibility. With this top-notch WebP image format, you will have access to quality images at the smaller file size. It will save bandwidth and enhance the speed at which the pages load. Additionally, all CSS changes made in the Rules panel are now tracked in the new Changes tab.
For a full list of changes in the new Firefox 65, head over to the official release notes.
