Mozilla is focusing on Firefox: New features like tab groups and improved bookmark management are to replace the read later 'Pocket' functions in the browser. — Photo: Andrej Sokolow/dpa
BERLIN: Mozilla is discontinuing its bookmark and reading app Pocket, which is now no available for download or as part of a premium subscription, the Firefox developer has announced.
The software company is also putting an end to Fakespot, an extension aimed at helping consumers tell which product reviews are fake and which are real.
The cut-off date for Pocket is July 8. Until then, existing users can still use the service. Fakespot is meanwhile set to shut down on July 1.
Pocket allowed users to reformat, save and synchronise websites or articles for later reading across multiple devices. It also let users assign keyword tags to categorise texts into different groups.
Users now have until October 8 to back up their data from the Pocket service. This can be done using an export tool that creates an HTML file containing all saved links.
The process can take up to 24 hours. Once the file is ready, it will be automatically sent via email, Mozilla says. There is no need for users to manually delete their data or accounts, the company is also telling users.
All data will be automatically deleted after October 8, while existing premium subscriptions will be automatically cancelled. Refunds will also be offered for annual subscriptions.
Mozilla appeared to suggest it was cutting Fakespot for financial reasons. "While the idea resonated, it didn’t fit a model we could sustain," a company announcement reads.
The company says it now plans to focus its development resources on the Firefox browser in the future.
"Pocket has helped millions save articles and discover stories worth reading. But the way people save and consume content on the web has evolved, so we’re channeling our resources into projects that better match browsing habits today."
The browser has received new features such as tab groups and offers improved bookmark management. This is intended to make managing reading lists directly in the browser easier.
Tabs that are thematically or organisationally related can now be grouped together. Users can create a group by dragging one tab onto another or by right-clicking on a tab and selecting the option from the context menu.
To keep multiple tab groups from becoming unwieldy, users can name and colour-code them. Additional tabs can be added to a group via the context menu with a right-click. A group can also be reopened after the browser is closed, unless it was created in private mode and the private window was closed. – dpa
