Vivaldi on Wednesday announced that its Android browser has been updated to version 3.2 featuring enhancements to its integrated tracker and ad blocker. The company said that the users can “enable and manage more blocking lists” while creating their own custom list of websites to block or unblock while browsing online. Vivaldi also said that it has moved more functionality on its Android browser to the bottom of the screen “for easier one-handed access.” The Vivaldi web browser for desktop was initially launched in 2016 by former Opera CEO Jon von Tetzchner with the company introducing its Android variant in April 2020 following months of testing.
The company said that the update released on Wednesday enables users to select “more blocking lists in Vivaldi” along with the ability to create custom lists.
“This is because we believe that you should always have the final say – how you want websites to display and what you want websites to know about you should be ultimately your choice,” Vivaldi said on Wednesday.
Vivaldi said that the series of preinstalled blocking lists and sources in the browser provides users more choice with the ability to enable or disable “with a simple tick.” The browser now also enables users to opt for an “country-specific listed source” depending on the region of the user or their preference.
The company said that the tracker and ad blocker emerged as the most requested feature ever since Vivaldi launched the first beta of its Android browser in September 2019.
“The number of web trackers has skyrocketed,” Vivaldi said on Wednesday. “And is still on the rise. Many of you want to limit unnecessary tracking and want a cleaner, faster web without trackers and ads.”
Vivaldi said that the “sheer scale” web tracking and data collection had resulted in the company to launch its Android browser with an built-in tracker and ad blocker. The company said that its integration solution featuring tracker and ad blocker enables users to protect from the “ubiquitous trackers and unwanted ads.”
The tracker and ad blocker solution on the Vivaldi Android browser can be enabled or disabled for websites through the shield icon in the address bar. However, the users also have the ability to change the blocking levels and functionality for all the websites in the browser settings.
Vivaldi Android Browser Now Features More Functionality at the Bottom
The company said that the updated browser features open, private, recently closed and synced tab buttons at the bottom of the screen. Vivaldi said that the “bottom of the screen” is easier for users to reach especially those on the large screens.
“You’ll find this enhancement useful as many of you rely on one-handed access to the main functions of the browser when browsing on your mobile devices,” Vivaldi said. “Our aim is to put all the navigation bars at the bottom so that the key functionality is just a thumb away.”
The company highlighted that it had already moved several functionality of the browser including the bookmarks, switching between Panel functions, history, notes and download to the bottom of the interface.
Vivaldi said that the Tab Strip feature that enables users to view desktop style tabs on the browser has been renamed to Tab Bar, providing uniformity in addressing features across desktop and mobile variants. The Tab Bar is said to be now enabled by default providing users an option to view, open and switch tabs just like the desktop browser. However, Vivaldi said that the Tab Bar can be disabled on the browser settings.
Additionally, the company said that the background theme on the Speed Dial now changes to dark mode with the new update on its Android variant. Further, the users starting the browser in the landscape mode will not notice the bottom bar offering users more screen space. Vivaldi also said that the sync settings will now display the profile picture of the users when they log in. Crucially, the company highlighted that its “copy to note” feature will be “glitch-free” for users experiencing difficulties as Vivaldi has delivered a “big stability fix.”
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