Firefox 6 may have been just released, but I have to admit that versions 7, 8 and 9 may be much more interesting from the end user’s point of view.

Firefox 7, for example will bring the Azure 2D graphics API and memory enhancements, Firefox 8 will make add-ons much safer to deal with and we now hear that Firefox 9 is likely to get the much anticipated tablet UI. Mozilla just posted the tablet UI as a deliverable for Firefox 9.

Firefox 8 nightlies apparently integrate a first version of the UI already, even if it is not enabled and not even accessible via the about:config menu. We would expect the feature to surface over the next few weeks. According to initial layout screens, the tablet UI will look much more like the mobile version of Firefox and use a single line on top, which will integrate the menu buttons, tabs, navigation as well as the location bar. All tabs will hide behind a single button.

Mozilla will need this UI to make a case for itself on Android tablets. The interface itself was originally scheduled to land in Firefox in early July and seems to be a few weeks behind schedule. But given the fact that there is no killer Android tablet, there is no urgency to rush this feature out just yet.

SOURCE via Mozilla