Firefox 18 adds Retina support, better performance
updated 03:42 pm EST, Tue January 8, 2013
Implements first support for WebRTC
Mozilla has released Firefox 18, a fresh update of its multi-platform web browser. The new code is most relevant to MacBook Pro owners, as it adds support for the ultra-high resolutions on Retina displays. Performance is another focus of the update though, as it smooths out tab switching, boosts JavaScript speeds via the IonMonkey compiler, and improves image quality through a new HTML scaling algorithm.
Another new feature is early support for WebRTC. The open-source W3C platform is meant to allow real-time voice/video calls and file sharing over the web, relying only on JavaScript and HTML5. Aside from Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Maxthon have taken steps toward WebRTC compatibility.
Firefox for Android, meanwhile, has been updated to offer search suggestions as you type as an opt-in feature. New protections against phishing and malware have also been implemented. If a person encounters a potentially dangerous website, Firefox will now warn them of the risk.
