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Firefox Marketplace released for Firefox Aurora on Android

Amber Sass

Amber Sass

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If Google Play isn’t enough for your Android app store needs, you’ve now got another option. Firefox Marketplace is now available through the latest Firefox pre-beta for Android.

This comes only a handful of days after the launch of Firefox 16 on desktop PCs, and was an anticipated element of Mozilla’s development of its popular web and mobile browser platforms.

Let’s take a look at the Firefox Marketplace.

Accessing Firefox Marketplace

You’ll need to install the latest build of Firefox Aurora to a supported phone or tablet in order to access Firefox Marketplace. The easiest way to do it is to access the download file through your phone, since it’s not available through Google Play.

Alternatively, you can go directly to Firefox’s website, where you’ll be instructed on how to download and install Firefox Aurora.

Once installed, pull up the browser, choose Options, then Tools and Apps.

Marketplace offerings

Since Firefox Marketplace is still in pre-beta, there isn’t much variety when it comes to current app offerings. This will likely change as the Marketplace moves closer and closer to an official, stable release.

Every currently available app is free, and the installation process is simple. You’ll need to click the blue button to the right of each app you want to install. You’ll then be prompted to OK the installation. The blue button will then let you “Launch” the app. The new app’s icon will show up on your home screen, just like any standard app would, making it easy to locate and organize.

There are some performance issues with Marketplace apps. Scrolling sometimes sticks or jerks awkwardly in Marketplace’s Twitter client, for example, while it’s a much smoother experience using the native Android app.

This pre-beta version of Firefox Marketplace is a little slow and awkward to navigate, as can be expected from a feature that is still having the bugs worked out of it. It also gives us a glimpse of what’s to come in Mozilla’s offerings for both desktop and mobile. It will be interesting to see if Firefox’s loyal Android users will follow it away from Google Play, or if it’ll simply be used in conjunction.

Amber Sass

Amber Sass

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