The open-source browser, popular among web developers, will be updated automatically for users running Firefox 1.5. Users of older versions will need to download the update manually from the Mozilla website.
The key element to this update is the inclusion of Universal Binary code, which provides native support for Mac’s.
“For the person that bought the Intel-based Mac and is looking for that performance increase, the bigger bang will come from the native code,” Jupiter Research analyst Joe Wilcox told LinuxInsider. “The more applications that move over to the MacIntel chipsets the better.”
Labeling this Firefox 1.5.0.2 update, “stability and security,” Mozilla fixed major security flaws, including spoofing and file stealing vulnerabilities.
“We're identifying this as a critical release, and we're strongly recommending that everyone update as soon as possible,” Mozilla said in an email statement.
Firefox is used by more than 10 percent of the web browser market, according to web audience-measurement firm NetApplications.com. Microsoft IE has lost 4 percent of its market share in the past year, likely due to surfers’ impatience waiting for IE 7.