Mozilla launches Firefox Reality virtual reality web browser
Mozilla released Firefox Reality version 1.0 on Tuesday, a web browser designed for independent virtual reality and augmented reality headsets. Browsers are now available in Viveport,Oculus and Daydream app stores. Firefox Reality enables users to move between 2D websites and an immersive Web experience. As Mozilla said when announcing its work on browsers in April, browsers are open source, allowing manufacturers to add browsers to their platforms. According to Mozilla, the first version answers questions about what it should be like to browse the web in VR.
"the desktop is a familiar experience," Dan Brown, head of marketing for emerging technologies at Mozilla, told ZDNet. By contrast, "when you wear a [VR] head and you are completely immersed in it, everything is different." For example, traditional web browsing usually requires some kind of keyboard. Firefox Reality gives you the option of using the keyboard, while browsers enable voice search because it is not easy to enter text.
Mozilla engineers must also build an environment for users. Even if the environment has nothing to do with the browsing experience, users will feel uncomfortable being surrounded by black space. Browsers provide users with the choice of environment they want. The user can also adjust the screen size or brightness. Mozilla said it would add new features to the browser "at a steady speed", including support for bookmarks, 360 videos and accounts. The company also works with creators to ensure that users can browse VR content, such as games, videos and experiences.
