Several new features are on the way for Mozilla Firefox, the default web browser in Ubuntu. The upcoming version, Firefox 143, is expected to include Google Lens integration, streamlining the visual search experience for users. With this feature, a "Search Image with Google Lens" option will be available in the context menu when right-clicking on a supported image, enhancing the ease of finding visually similar products.
To track usage and potentially strengthen its search deal with Google, Mozilla is incorporating telemetry. Additionally, a "New" badge will appear next to the context menu entry to encourage usage, similar to the promotion of their AI chatbot features. However, understanding that not everyone prefers Google, Mozilla is making the backend flexible to accommodate different visual search URLs.
In further developments, Firefox will introduce real-time stock market data into the URL bar as an opt-in feature. This enhancement works alongside existing functionalities like weather forecasts based on search terms, aiming to save users time while creating potential revenue for Mozilla through sponsored data results.
Another innovation in the pipeline is the "Page Buddy," an AI-powered chatbot feature designed to assist users by answering questions about the pages they are viewing. Although early versions have appeared in Nightly builds, many details remain under wraps as these features are still experimental.
In addition to these, other notable upcoming features include task and timer widgets for the New Tab page, Google Search trend cards, JPEG-XL image support, and MKV video playback enhancements.
For more detailed information about these features, check Mozilla support.