Mozilla today launched its made-for-VR web browser, Firefox Reality. The company says the browser is “designed from the ground up” for standalone VR headsets, and today it becomes available for the Oculus Go, Lenovo Mirage Solo, and Vive Focus (and other Vive Wave headsets).
Mozilla has been an early supporter of VR. As a key collaborator on WebVR—which makes it possible to run VR experiences from the web across many devices—the company continues to focus considerable effort into making VR a first-class citizen on the internet. As such, their new Firefox Reality browser is built with WebVR in mind, supporting both basic 2D browsing and immersive VR experiences accessible through the web.
In addition to having a home screen which highlights fresh WebVR content, the company has made VR considerations for basic browsing tasks, including voice-search and a private browsing mode. Mozilla says that the browser is based on the Quantum engine for mobile, the same engine that powers their speedy Firefox Quantum browser on desktop.
For developers interested in building WebVR content, Mozilla recently published a Firefox Reality Developers Guide. The company also suggests that developers reach out to the company to get their content highlighted through the browser.
While Mozilla is calling this the 1.0 launch of Firefox Reality, some key features are still missing—like bookmarks and support for 360 videos (an essential function to pair with the private browsing mode)—though the company says those functions will be coming soon, along with more “at a steady pace.”
“We are in this for the long haul. This is version 1.0 of Firefox Reality and version 1.1 is right around the corner. We have an always-growing list of ideas and features that we are working to add to make this the best browser for mixed reality. We will also be listening and react quickly when we need to provide bug fixes and other minor updates,” said Sean White, Mozilla’s Chief R&D Officer, as part of the launch announcement.
Firefox Reality is available as of today on standalone VR headsets including Oculus Go, Lenovo Mirage Solo, and Vive Focus (and other standalone headsets based on the Vive Wave platform). The browser is not currently supported on smartphone shell headsets like Gear VR or Daydream View.
While the dedicated Firefox Reality browser isn’t available for PC headsets, the latest Firefox desktop browser supports WebVR content via the Rift, Vive, and Windows VR headsets.