The Tor Browser is finally officially available on Android

The Tor Browser is now available on Google Play. — AFP Relaxnews

Tor Browser, the decentralised web browser that relies on the server network of the same name, can finally be installed on Android phones.

The latest version of Tor Browser (8.5) is now available, including, for the first time, as an Android port. An alpha version had been implemented back in 2018 as an early test, but this time around users can install a stable version.

The idea is to offer users of the browser-network the same encryption and anonymity on their smartphone or tablet as on their computer, in order to avoid censorship and surveillance. While some of the desktop features are missing, the browser offers a particular focus on security. Naturally, iOS users should not hold their breath for an Apple-approved version.

As previously reported, Tor is based on an overlay network of over seven thousand relays – layers of routers connected to Tor – that bounce requests for information around the network, thus guaranteeing the users' anonymity. By using the Tor network, users can ensure that their personal data (IP address, country) can no longer be identified by the visited sites. As far as the browser is concerned, it is currently based on Firefox and derivatives.

Tor has become a de facto alternative for American geeks wishing to escape the watchful eye of the US National Security Agency, which has garnered it a bit of a reputation as a portal to the "darknet" and its associated illegal activities (arms sales, drug trafficking, and the like).

You can now download Tor Browser for free on Google Play. – AFP Relaxnews