Mozilla Connect

Justine · ‎08-11-2023

Hi everyone 👋

I'm Justine, a product manager working on the homepage for both desktop and mobile! I've been looking into improving and tailoring our mobile browser experience. I'd love to get your feedback in order to help our team address your needs and preferences.

Here are some questions we'd love to get your thoughts on:

How do you feel about the mobile browser's homepage, and what improvements or features would enhance it for you?
Did any parts of the homepage experience stand out as particularly seamless? Did any parts cause you difficulty or confusion?
How would you describe your experience in accessing and interacting with the elements on the homepage?

Your sentiments, suggestions, and insights are important to us. Whether it's a simple thought or a detailed message, we'd love to hear your from you!

And if you'd like to leave DESKTOP feedback, you can do so within this thread: Desktop Home/'New Tab' Feedback

cactiroot · ‎10-10-2023

Hello! I'm not sure if your team is still taking suggestions on this thread, but I would like to add my request for more customizable wallpapers, or a color slider option. Really big kudos from me on adding in the function to customize what widgets appear on the homepage, including sponsored shortcuts, this is such an incredible feature. Some additional widgets like a clock, weather, etc. would be really cool to see, as well. Thanks!

augustleo · ‎10-10-2023

I politely disagree. The main function of a browser is to enable users to seamlessly browse. That's the main reason why none of the popular browser's have these gimmicks like customizable wallpapers or widgets on home screen tab.

You lose that wallpaper as soon as you enter the URL anyway. So, how does it really matter? Instead of having this team focus on trivial features like these, let them focus on features that focus on "browsability". Not saying wallpapers etc are useless. They should be ranked the least priority IMHO.

cactiroot · ‎10-10-2023

Woah thanks for the quick reply! I can see where you're coming from, I remembered the saying that "good design goes unnoticed" and can see the value in shortening the distance from A to B in getting what we users want out of a browser. I think for myself that I am a fan of the aesthetics in my mobile apps, and I like to have a more cohesive feel between my UI's. I do 100% agree on it being a lower priority objective, but expanding the customizable homepage feature for people like me who use browser/new tabs extensions like momentum is something I'd appreciate, even if somewhat redundant for many other Firefoxers.

augustleo · ‎10-10-2023

Thanks mate for taking my response in a positive way and I agree that aesthetics, UI are totally important. Let's hope we get these requests noticed by the team here. Thumbs up!

Therow · ‎10-11-2023

Well it's nice to have an option for those who cares (like me) and almost all browsers do have option to set a url for homepage that allows extensions like tabliss to work I would love to have that as an option

Justine · ‎10-25-2023

I love this discussion between@cactiroot and @augustleo !

It really goes to show how the interests and purposes of the mobile browser can vary between our users, and it's our job as product managers to balance and prioritize these requests. But please know that I have noted them as both are equally valid and personally, two aspects that I think hold a level of importance.

Thank you both!

jhonsmint · ‎10-17-2023

Hi Justine,

I appreciate your interest in improving the mobile browser experience. Here are my thoughts on the questions you've provided:

Mobile Browser Homepage Improvements:
- I find the current homepage functional, but it could benefit from a cleaner and more user-friendly design.
- Personalization options would be great, allowing users to customize what appears on the homepage, such as bookmarks or frequently visited sites.
- Quick access to settings, history, and saved passwords should be prominent and easy to find.
- It would be helpful to integrate a news feed or customizable widgets for weather, news, or calendar updates.
Seamless and Confusing Parts:
- The quick access to frequently visited sites is seamless and very useful. It should remain a focal point.
- However, some users might find the presence of ads or promoted content on the homepage a bit intrusive, so consider offering an option to disable these.
- The search bar and navigation buttons are usually straightforward, but they should be easily accessible and responsive.
Accessing and Interacting with Homepage Elements:
- The touch sensitivity and responsiveness of buttons and links need to be excellent, as users interact with the homepage frequently. Smooth transitions and animations can enhance the experience.
- Please ensure that the homepage is not cluttered. Space elements well and make them large enough for comfortable tapping, especially for users with smaller screens.
- Incorporating intuitive gestures, like swiping to access different sections or pinching to customize the layout, can add a more user-friendly touch.

In summary, a user-friendly, customizable, and responsive mobile browser homepage would be a significant improvement. Regularly seeking feedback and iterating on the design is a great way to ensure the best user experience. Thank you for reaching out and valuing user input!

Justine · ‎10-25-2023

This is awesome! Thank you @jhonsmint

This level of feedback really helps us envision and detail the future of what the mobile homepage could be. Feedback like this allows us to design an experience that is optimized for mobile in a way that is accessible and allows for quick navigation – a crucial part of mobile browsing.

monkeymafia · ‎10-19-2023

Please add the possibility to add bookmarks in the Homepage. Either add bookmark folders and add single bookmarks.

Justine · ‎10-25-2023

@monkeymafia Great idea! I've noted it.

We appreciate you taking the time to share ideas with us.

Justine · ‎10-25-2023

Thank You for Your Feedback! 🙌

I want to extend a thank you to all of you who shared your thoughts and suggestions about Firefox Mobile's homepage. Your input is incredibly valuable, and it helps us make Firefox even better for you.

Here are some of the key takeaways from your feedback:

Many of you would like to see a clear separation between set shortcuts and pages from your browsing history
You've expressed a desire for more wallpaper options, color choices, and the ability to pin bookmarks and folders to shortcuts
Larger shortcuts with more visible titles and the option to reposition them for easier access.
Usability improvements, such as swipe gestures for repositioning shortcuts, were mentioned to make one-handed use more convenient

We'll continue to listen to your feedback and work on enhancements to provide you with the best mobile browsing experience possible.

Thank you,

Justine

Jeppie · ‎10-25-2023

Hi Justine,

Does this mean there is a roadmap ready?

Jon · ‎10-25-2023

A big thanks to all of you for participating in such a productive and insightful discussion. We are now closing out this thread but want to encourage you to continue sharing your feedback/ideas for improving the mobile homepage experience—just be sure to use the necessary labels and tags, so your posts are easily searched for and discovered by our teams.

Also, we are excited to announce that a new discussion hosted by a Firefox Product Manager has just kicked off and can be found here: Share your thoughts on how you shop online!

This is an ongoing series here in the Mozilla Connect community, so we look forward to continuing to collaborate with you all 😀

Mozilla Connect

Firefox Mobile Users: Share Your Thoughts on the Mobile Homepage! 📱