Mozilla debuts multi-touch feature via new Firefox 4 Beta

by Steven Mostyn - Aug 12 2010, 11:35

Open-source software specialist Mozilla Corp. has released yet another beta iteration of its popular Firefox 4 web browser – the third such test build to be placed before the ever-willing masses in the last month.

Beyond the introduction of improved JavaScript values, which should help create enhanced graphical standards for web-based applications, Firefox 4 Beta 3 stands apart thanks to the inclusion of experimental multi-touch functionality.

Although completely reliant on whether web developers actually choose to implement the feature into their services – and open only to touch-enabled PC users running Windows 7 – the new multi-touch functionality marries Firefox with tactile on-screen navigation to create a new layer of online interaction.

“Developers can use multi-touch capabilities to leverage touch-enabled devices and provide people with an intuitive and fun browsing experience,” outlined Mozilla via its latest official release.

Beyond gathering as much valuable feedback as it can in order to create the best possible browsing platform for its user base, Mozilla’s recent stream of beta builds would suggest it is keen on halting Firefox’s steady decline where market share is concerned.

Earlier this month Web metrics firm Net Applications revealed that Firefox dropped 0.9 percent to 22.9 percent during the month of July, the browser’s second largest slide since plunging 1.1 percent in May of 2009.

July’s poor performance was also the third month in a row that Mozilla’s browser lost traction, and the sixth month in the last eight.

Meanwhile, July’s figures also saw Microsoft’s Internet Explorer taking advantage of drops by Firefox and Google Chrome, jumping 0.4 percent and increasing its market dominance to 60.7 percent.

Other Firefox improvements introduced in Beta 1 and Beta 2 include App Tabs, a newly designed Windows 7 menu bar, enhanced add-on and extension management, native support for WebM open video, more robust support for both HTML5 and CSS3, an overhauled user interface and crash protection for multimedia plug-ins.

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