Mozilla to replace VR browser Firefox Reality with Wolvic

Mozilla has announced that its virtual reality browser Firefox Reality will soon be removed from stores and will be replaced with the new one — Wolvic browser. Firefox Reality was launched on 18 September 2018.  

In a blog post on 4 February, Mozilla said that the Firefox Reality browser will be removed from stores in the coming weeks. Igalia’s browser, Wolvic (which is based on Firefox Reality’s source code) will be available next week. 

Firefox Reality allows users to access the web through standalone virtual reality and augmented reality headsets, and was available in the Viveport, Oculus, and Daydream app stores.

The blog post also informed that the new browser Wolvic will take the place of Firefox Reality. Wolvic is developed by Spain-based tech firm Igalia. Informing about the Wolvic, Igalia said in a blog post that their first focus will be on Android Open-Source Project (AOSP)-based stand-alone XR systems.   

“Our first focus is on AOSP-based, stand-alone XR systems and HarmonyOS tethered systems, including Oculus, Huawei VR Glass, HTC Vive Focus, Pico Interactive, and Lynx,” the post read. 

These apart, the browser may also run on the XR devices developed by Qualcomm and Lenovo shortly as the company is in talks with them, it said. 

Wolvic, however, is in the beta phase somewhere as the developer is still working on some of the features that were previously provided in Firefox Reality, the company said, adding that they are also working on various issues.

“The Firefox Reality project was created to give users some choice and ensure that open and unlimited access to the web remains strong on these devices. These ideas are core to what we do at Igalia, so we’re thrilled to be able to carry the torch forward in leveraging that work to create a new browser, Wolvic,” said Brian Kardell, Developer Advocate at Igalia.