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Tor Browser for Android Officially Launched


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Tor Browser for Android Officially Launched 

Tor Project has just announced the release of the very first stable version of Tor Browser for Android after the public preview build that landed in the fall of 2018.

 

Tor Project has just announced the release of the very first stable version of Tor Browser for Android after the public preview build that landed in the fall of 2018.

 
The Android version of TOR Browser is based on the same approach as the original desktop sibling, and it’s supposed to block trackers, keep users protected against surveillance, resist fingerprinting, and maintain a high level of privacy using advanced systems like multi-layered encryption.

“When you use Tor Browser for Android, your traffic is relayed and encrypted three times as it passes over the Tor network. The network is comprised of thousands of volunteer-run servers known as Tor relays,” Tor Project explains.

The interface is as simple as it could be, and while features like the ones you typically find in browsers from Google and Mozilla are missing, it’s important to keep in mind that the purpose of Tor Browser is to keep your privacy untouched when browsing the web, regardless of website.

The application is obviously available free of charge on Android, and it requires at least version 4.1 of the mobile operating system.More features to comeNeedless to say, because this is just the very first stable version of Tor Browser for Android, some features available on the desktop are yet to make their way to smartphones, albeit the development team promises fast progress in this regard.

“While there are still feature gaps between the desktop and Android Tor Browser, we are confident that Tor Browser for Android provides essentially the same protections that can be found on desktop platforms,” a blog post that went live this morning reads.

Tor Browser for mobile devices is exclusive to Android, and iOS version won’t be released. This is because of the iOS restrictions set by Apple on the platform.
 
 
 
 
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Tor Browser 8.5 released: security fixes and stable Android version

The Tor Project announced the release of Tor Browser 8.5 for all supported operating systems on May 22, 2019. The new Tor Browser version includes important security fixes, and it is the first stable version released for the Android operating system.

 

Tor Browser is based on Firefox ESR code. Mozilla released Firefox 67 and a new ESR version 60.7.0 on Tuesday. The new version of Firefox introduced new features in the browser and patched several security issues including two rated critical, the highest impact rating.

Tor Browser 8.5

tor browser 8.5

 

Tor Browser 8.5 is available as a download for the supported desktop operating systems Windows, Linux, and Mac OS, on the official project website. Tor Browser 8.5 for Android, the first stable version, is available on Google Play. The developers promise that it will land on F-Droid, an alternate Android application marketplace, in the coming days as well.

 

Tor Browser 8.5 is the first stable version of Tor for Android. We reviewed the first version that the Tor Project team released for Android, and you may want to check it out as it provides a good overview of the functionality of the app.

 

Tor Browser for Android "provides essentially the same protections that can be found on desktop platforms" even though there are some "feature gaps" according to a post on the official Tor blog.

We made sure there are no proxy bypasses, that first-party isolation is enabled to protect you from cross-site tracking, and that most of the fingerprinting defenses are working. While there are still feature gaps between the desktop and Android Tor Browser, we are confident that Tor Browser for Android provides essentially the same protections that can be found on desktop platforms.

The security slider, a tool used to display and set the security level used, is now available on the main toolbar. A click displays the current security level and a link to the settings to change it.

 

The version has three new issues currently:

  • Accessibility Support is "still not perfect".
  • Bug reports suggest WebGL related fingerprinting is possible.
  • The upgrade breaks saved logins and passwords.

You can read the full changelog on the official Tor project website.

 

Source: Tor Browser 8.5 released: security fixes and stable Android version (gHacks - Martin Brinkmann)

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@ADN, @Karlston, can you explain me whether this version requires Orbot to be installed separately? or this version has built-in capability of Orbot?

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@Karamjit   I'm sorry, I use neither. This comment at the end of this may be useful https://blog.torproject.org/new-release-tor-browser-85

 

There is no plan to replace Orbot with Tor Browser as they provide different features. Orbot will continue to be developed by the Guardian Project. Orfox however will no longer be developed, and Orfox users should migrate to Tor Browser.

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