Apple approves Firefox Home app for iPhone

Open-source software development initiative Mozilla announced its Firefox Home application for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch is now available for download via the computing giant's App Store. Mozilla submitted the application to Apple in late June--the free Firefox Home provides iPhone users access to their Firefox desktop history, bookmarks and open tabs, securely synchronizing Firefox browser data from the desktop to the cloud to enable more efficient mobile web browsing and search. Users can view sites in Firefox Home then open them up via the iPhone's native Safari browser; sites can also be shared using email.

Mozilla previously stated it does not plan to develop a full-scale Firefox mobile browser optimized for the iPhone platform. "Our understanding of browsers in the iPhone App Store is that a ‘full' web browser like Firefox that incorporates its own web rendering and JavaScript engines would be prohibited," said Jay Sullivan, Mozilla's vice president of product, in an April interview with FierceMobileContent.

In other Apple news, the company will hold a news conference Friday to address ongoing issues with the new iPhone 4's antenna. It is unknown who will speak at the event, to be held at Apple's Cupertino, Calif. headquarters. For full coverage, check out sister publication FierceWireless later today.

For more on Firefox Home:
- read this Mozilla Blog entry

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