What's the state of Android browsers? Want to move away from Samsung Internet
cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/58870060
I've been using Samsung Internet for a very long time, knowing it isn't the best one for privacy. However, the user experience with it is, for me, unmatched by any other browser, including Vivaldi, Brave, and any Firefox forks.
So here's what I'm looking for in a browser:
preferably FOSS
some control on privacy setting, less trackers/fingerprinting, etc. Doesn't have to be the most hardened.
decent dark mode for web pages (Dark Reader is OK)
bottom search bar
bottom tabs bar rather than tab switcher
a quit button I don't have to tap and scroll 2 times to find. Ideally it'd be placed on the main bottom bar
the quit button must clear cache and close all tabs, so I think it should be native and not an extension, but maybe I'm wrong?
Is there any browser that can give me that?
I'd love using Fennec as my main - and God knows I've tried multiple times to - but missing some of those feature made it hard for me to leave Samsung Internet behind. ATM I'm using both browsers BTW.
Any suggestion is appreciated!
Firefox on Android is really nice and meets most of these. Also having full extension support is a huge plus.
Fennec is just Firefox with privacy defaults.
What are you even talking about, Firefox on android sucks. It is so outdated design wise and just terrible to use, and the download list doesnt show you download history for some reason. Firefox on other OS's work great, I even use it as my daily driver but on android. Uff no way.
Sure, the extensions are great, fantastic even. But its the only pro in a sea of cons.🤷
No idea what you're talking about as I've had none of these issues. Also Firefox on iOS isn't actually Firefox, it's just another reskined webkit browser.
I was never talking about the iOS variant. I meant the android version was bad. Sorry for the misunderstanding then.
I'm talking about the Android version. You mentioned Firefox on other OSs is great so I assumed you were talking about iOS, which is not actually Firefox.
Sorry, not an iPhone user. I just meant the windows and Linux ones were better.
I mean, no shit. Of course the fully fledged PC version is better than the mobile counterpart lol, I'd say that's a given for any browser.
In comparison, with other multiplatform alternatives its still bad in my opinion
So what do you browse on Android with, then?
I just use brave and arcsearch. I'm not saying they are great alternative and completely devoid of issues but personally I'll rather use them than Firefox in android(specifically the android version), I love ZEN browser its my daily driver on my PC but the android one, I just can't.
Why was this comment removed. Is this reddit?
Was it? I still see it.
Maybe your reader auto hides it due to the low rating?
I've never seen it. Says removed by moderator
Compare these:
https://sh.itjust.works/post/34698028/17414247
https://lemmy.world/comment/15793837
The user is on lemmy.world, where the comment is gathered by all other instances. It is visible for me on dbzer because that pulls from lemmy.world where it still exists.
I assume your instance admins deleted it locally for your instance only. Who knows why. I suggest you move to a different place that doesn't randomly moderate external sublemmys for local users only.
Oh okay weird
The modlog on your instance has a few entries with "reason: automod".
These all aren't present on the actual sub.
Another example here is
which still exists on lemmy.world.
This post has less than 30% vote ratio and more than 50 votes. There might be a cutoff under which shit.just.works simply removes content.
Which if true I gotta say kinda sucks. Maybe a remnant from the cp catastrophe?
You better get used to visiting the home instance of posts whenever you see a removed comment you wanna read. Most apps should have a "source link" option, usually with the fediverse symbol, which should open the post on the "ownership" instance, so the one authoritative over what the comment looks like. My app (summit) even offers that per commend conveniently.
I barely use Firefox because i typical use chrome but if all my shit was in Firefox it's absolutely fine. I'd say there are certain parts of Firefox that is actually just better than chrome on Android
I use fennec, it's just firefox without current bs of firefox going on
Ironfox is nice, thats what I personally use. Its more secure than base Firefox (and importantly for me its in Accrescent)
I'm OK with using Fennec, probably. I've used Mull before, which I think is where Ironfox comes from.
What do you like about Ironfox that, you think, is not in other FF forks? And what's Accrescent?
Its a secure app store thats easy to install on GraphineOS (secure rom)
Firefox is by far the best Android browser.
Have you tried Waterfox? It satisfies most of your requirements, I believe.
I don't think I have. I'll check it out, thanks!
Don't think I've ever used the default Samsung browser... Not intentionally, at least. Firefox Mobile has been fine for me. It has basic plugin support, do you can run unlock origin with it, too.
You can install any extension you want nowadays
regardless of your browser choice make url check your default link handler to unshort urls and remove query parameters
I was with you till "browser choice". Mind explaining?
Whichever browser you end up choosing. I use Vivaldi quite happily.
No I meant I didn't understand the part about link handler, short, unshort, query etc. Lol sorry
If you've got a link, I'd appreciate it
Oh, I see what you mean.
https://triangularapps.blogspot.com/search/label/UrlChecker?m=1
You can set this as your default application whenever you click a link, and it'll let you strip off the tracking bits and stuff before you go to your browser or whatever.
Thanks a lot!
I use duck duck go browser as my main and default browser, and I press the burn it all button regularly. It offers to exclude sites from the data purge if you log in, but for the three or so websites that I want to stay logged in to fill time, I just use Opera for them.
To offer another take, FF has never been buggy for me. Never had this keyboard issue, or any of the stuff mentioned so your mileage may vary.
As for the bottom nav, I have that on normal FF. If you go to Settings-->Customize, the option to pick top or bottom address bar is right there.
So it's just the forward/backwards buttons you want at the bottom?
That's so interesting. I can't say I ever use the forward button when browsing and for backwards I just use the back gesture (same as any other app).
But thanks for the screenshots. I didn't even know people use that sort of setup.
FF should offer it then, if that's something people use/expect as a norm.
I had a Fold4 and now have an s25 Ultra and had none of those issues with Firefox either. Works just fine for me and I even have some extensions I've put on that aren't technically supposed to work in the mobile browser so I was fully expecting some jank. But still works fine.
I didn't know FF Nightly had a bottom nav bar, and I just tried it a couple months ago. I guess it's new?
I understand some may not like it, but I hope they keep it as an option at least!
I use Ironfox and Fulguris (for when something doesn't work in IF). They're both good. Ceno is also interesting for its p2p/ anti-censorship features, although it's slow when not on wifi.
Samsung Internet is my favorite, but I am also a lil weirdo. Firefox is my second favorite to merge between devices, as well as connecting with the Pocket app to save things for later.
Im not sure if it is foss (have to check) but Soul Browser is my favorite. Packed with features and highly customizable, most if not all of your requirements are possible within this browser.
Oh wow! This is the definition of fully featured and it has my favorite UI customization in any browser. Also, the ad-block section as user filters and URL ones.
Unfortunately it isn't FOSS, so I'll be sticking to Fennec for now. And the dark mode isn't as good as Samsung Internet or Dark Reader, even though for minor elements.
Thanks for the recommendation nonetheless!
I'm going to suggest an alternative to Samsung Internet or Firefox : https://github.com/uazo/cromite
Out of the options I've tried, it's probably the best bet for reducing tracking, fingerprinting & increasing security without turning to Tor browser (which while it is more anonymous, is frustrating for general browsing)
For clearing cache, there are two options. There's a dedicated clear browsing data button in the hamburger menu, it can also be configured to "sanitize on close" (similar to Firefox on desktop, or Brave on desktop / mobile) [In cromite, this can be found under Security > Clear the data at open]
I can't recommend Firefox on Android in good faith, until site isolation (fission) is enabled on the platform. This is a major security regression compared to desktop Firefox, or chromium based browsers on Android
Edit: It seems like Iron Fox (continuation of Mull / fork of Firefox) has site isolation enabled - but it is still buggy and does not have all features enabled e.g no isolated process SELinux labels.
I actually needed a help with it. For some reason redirection doesnt work on chromite now. I tried out all the settings nothing really worked. Do you know why it is.
Thank you. I've heard of it but haven't tried it yet
Firefox is available on F-Droid under the name of Fennec.
Just to clarify, Fennec is a privacy-focused fork, kind of in the same vein as libreWolf but not as extensive. Since LW isn't available on mobile, Fennec seems to be the next best thing.
I can't really think of any browsers that have all the features OP is looking for. FF (+forks) is probably the closest thing out there.
Your guess was correct. However, as I'm currently testing both browsers, it seems like the uBlock extension in Fennec (or any FF fork) is way superior to any filter in Vivaldi. So Fennec still on top for me.
What I found out is that Vivaldi's filter (even uBlock and AdGuard ones) can't block sponsored posts, while uBlock extension, apparently, can
For context, my phone is an S23+ with 19.5:9 aspect ratio; I've actually tested FF forks, so maybe the menu items are different in number from base FF; I use the bottom bar, which apparently shortens the menu as compared to top bar; the length of the menu bar is different if viewed in a new tab page or a web page. If I'm in new tab, the menu is very short and I can access the quit button instantly.
It's about time Mozilla lets us customize that menu. It's full of things I don't need or I could drop to the bottom. Like "print"? Seriously!? The times I had to print a webpage in my entire life, even on PC, is exactly zero.
True true. There's also GrapheneOS's Vanadium browser to keep an eye on, but so far I don't think it's usable outside of GOS without jumping through some hoops. Personally not a fan of Chromium-based browsers so I haven't done much digging outside of the Firefox ecosystem though tbf.
Probably an unpopular opinion but if you want absolute minimalism without ads use Violoncello text browser!
cromite
This is the closest Firefox add-on that I could find: Essential Buttons Toolbar and Homepage
Oh I think I've tried that extension some time ago, but it didn't work very well. I'll give it another try, thanks
Duck Duck Go browser has the ability to easily clear history
Brave for me.