The Mozilla Foundation has delayed the release of the next version of the open source Firefox browser.

According to the organisation’s website, the next public version of the software codenamed Deer Park is slated for a September release. The browser will carry version number 1.5.

Previously developers planned to release a version 1.1 in July, but that software version is now only listed as an alpha, which is programming lingo for a very early test version. The version 1.1 alpha will jump to version 1.4 in August, which in its turn is the beta for 1.5.

Ben Goodger, a developer for the project, revealed the updated development and release schedule last week in a posting on Mozilla’s website.

“This is, as always, subject to change,” he warned.

Additional upgrades to Firefox 2.0 and 3.0 are expected by the first and third quarter of next year respectively.

Firefox in the past months has been hit by multiple security threaths. The development delay however isn’t a result of those vulnerabilities, but is caused by a decision to add additional features to the software.

Among the expected changes, the new version will allows the browser to be upgraded through the use of small patches rather than by requiring users to download and install a full version of the software as is required currently.

Developers are also working on a technology that allows for faster caching of pages that users have previously visited, as well as a way to quickly remove cookies and history of previously visited pages and temporary internet files.

Posted by Dablu in Browsers