Mozilla Preps Metro Friendly Version of Firefox for Windows 8

Get ready to see Firefox like you've never seen it before. Mozilla is working on an all new version of its popular browser for Windows 8, which will include a new Firefox front end and system integration points that will better integrate with the Metro UI environment. It will be a full-screen browser focused on touch interactions, and it will connect to the rest of the Metro environment through Windows 8 contracts, Mozilla says.

The rebuilt browser will support three so-called 'snap' states, including full screen, 1/6th screen, and 5/6th screen, which will all depend on how the user docks two full screen apps. Firefox's UI will automatically adjust to present the most relevant content for each size.


"In order to provide users with access to other content, other apps, and to Firefox from other content and apps, we'll need integration with the share contract, the search contract, the settings contract, the app to app picking contract, the print contract, the play to contract, and possibly a couple more. We'll be a source for some, a target for some, and both for some," Mozilla explains.

Details are fairly sparse at this point, though Mozilla did say the upcoming browser build will be based on Gecko.