Firefox 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 and 7.0 to Ship in 2011

[Student26]

Firefox 4.0, Firefox 5.0, Firefox 6.0 and Firefox 7.0 will all ship in 2011, the open source browser vendor confirmed.

Mozilla intends to radically overhaul its release cycle for Firefox per the Google Chrome model. The current pace at which new Firefox releases are offered to users will accelerate dramatically this year, following the launch of Firefox 4.0.

Among Mozilla’s Product Priorities for 2011, Mike Beltzner, Director of Firefox put “Ship our new technology to users in smaller bundles, more frequently” at no. 1, adding that the browser vendor needs to push “four technology shipment vehicles in 2011, including Firefox 4 and achieve a regular cadence for shipping.”

Mozilla is still hard at work on Firefox 4.0, for which it will deliver Beta 11 later this week, then Beta 12, moving to the Release Candidate development phase after that. With an accelerate release pace for new versions of Firefox, users will be able to enjoy new features more rapidly, as opposite to waiting for as much as an entire year.

The plan is for Firefox 5.0 to sport an Account Manager, Simple Sharing UI and UI Animation for example, but also expanded support beyond 32-bit Windows.

Firefox 6.0 will deliver JavaScript optimizations, Web Applications and FasterCache. And Firefox 7.0 is yet to take form, but undoubtedly the project is still contouring.

Source

What do you guys think, can Mozilla actually keep this schedule? I question there ability to gets all of these supposedly useful features integrated in a stable browser, but hey, there are still ten months in the year. Personally, I'm just waiting for Mozilla to release an x64 version.

[hellnoire]

I don't see why you'll need a x64 version of Firefox. I'm using it now on the x64 desktop (had to reinstall the x64, since my patch was giving me constant blue screens recently, all consistent with Out Of Memory Addressing), and it's not that bad.

[Boyfriend]

Thanks Student26 I think they are going to follow Chrome like route. Each release will include few major changes/features along with fixes. Firefox 64-bit is useless until Adobe releases x64 flash player on Windows.

Product Road Map: here

Further Reading:
Mozilla to Accelerate Firefox Development
Mozilla Releasing Firefox 4, 5, 6, and 7 in 2011?

[FunkY]

Same old misunderstanding that update means always for sure something good. But that's not how it works at PC world. I dont understand why developers need to hurry and make updates, just because update is todays word?

I like more way Mozilla work now. They do updates more less, but when they do, that happens precisely and well

[safeguy]

As much as I applause constant development and changes that bring about an overall benefit and good experience for users, I find it outrageously annoying, stupid and even maddening if Mozilla is planning to take against Google in their version numbering.

[Icarus]

Mozilla moved every deadline they ever set, so I really can’t see them keeping up with this kind of schedule.

[saturn]

They've got to get v4 released first

[Student26]

They've got to get v4 released first

Once they release v4 and v5 then I may believe they can pull off this schedule. Until then i'll remain pessimistic .

[Bearcat]

Once they release v4 and v5 then I may believe they can pull off this schedule. Until then i'll remain pessimistic .

I was thinking the same thing myself.

[jj1two3]

I am using Firefox 4 beta 11 now and it keeps getting better all the time.