Something appalling is cooking in the minds of Mozilla executives. Mozilla is the organization behind Firefox, the famous web browser. The news is circulating that the organization is exploring a very different web browser named Scout that will be operated by voice commands instead of the keyboard and mice. It will make one independent of screen-touch taps as well. Our insiders were able to get the news that Mozilla is holding a meeting in San Francisco. The agenda of this all-hands meeting is to discuss the progress of scout.
“With the Scout app, we start to explore browsing and consuming content with voice. A sample command shows how it might work: “Hey Scout read me the article about polar bears.” (Mozilla)
Voice control over electronic devices is prevailing more and more these days. Who would have known that once a sci-fi idea will overcome the whole industry one day? Increasingly with time, we are using our voice assistants to turn on our TVs, call our friends and translate our messages. The Artificial intelligence is ruling the world. It is the premium key to let the computing devices grasp you and act upon your commands. Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant feel like family members now!
A new era for Mozilla
The idea of voice integration in a web browser is going to get Mozilla in limelight. Neither Chrome nor Safari proposed anything similar to it so maybe the new technology will become an extensive source of growth and fame for Firebox. The browser had been struggling to compete with Google Chrome in past years with 5% of web usage as opposed to 58% of Chrome usage. Who knows if this is how the things are going to turn.
A browser that can be controlled using voice commands will make many things different and easy. People with sight issues who have to live on screen readers will be able to directly operate their surfing. Similarly, people who surf a lot and who need instant results will be able to save themselves from the hassle of unwanted typing. Mozilla mentioned that the project is an “early-stage project.” We cannot say what this exactly means but the company still has announced nothing about its beta testing.
“An internet that includes all the peoples of the earth — where a person’s demographic characteristics do not determine their online access, opportunities or quality of experience.”
This is how Mozilla defines its vision of Scout.
Quantum and Scout
Tamara Hills, a Mozilla programmer who worked on various projects earlier, will be delivering the scout presentation. The company says that the discussions will be made more public once their efforts are more developed.
Mozilla is not only working on Scout but “Quantum” is another project undertaken by Mozilla to reinvigorate its competitiveness. Quantum is aimed to rebuild the speed of the Firefox. A version was released in November but further improvements are being made. Mozilla calls it “a years’ long project”. The initial version was able to increase Firefox usage by 6% then it already was so an improvement may translate into a better future for Mozilla.
Fazeel Ashraf
Amnah Fawad
