Last week we took a look at initial design mockups for Firefox 3.7, and now the busy designers at Mozilla are back with some theme mockups for the even-further-into-the-future Firefox 4.0.

Version A – Tabs-on-Bottom

Possibly add a Bookmarks widget as an upfront replacement for the Bookmarks menu/Bookmarks toolbar (option to turn those on would remain).

Version B – Tabs-on-Top

The more contentious Tabs-on-Top concept.

Positives

  • Save Vertical Space
  • Efficiency/Remove Visual Complexity – Right now the tabs have to be connected to something. So we are adding an extra visual element for them to connect to.
  • Shorter Mouse Distance to Page Controls

Negatives

  • Breaks Consistency/Familiarity – Moving things confuses existing users.
  • Title is MIA – With the space removed from the titlebar you only get the truncated version in the tab.
  • Longer Mouse Distance to Tabs – Takes longer to mouse to a tab.
  • Lost Space – Sandwiched in between the application icon and the window widgets you lose some space.

Combo Stop/Refresh/Go Button


Attached at the end of the location bar.

  • Turns green when you start typing.
  • Blends with the location bar when at rest.
  • Turns blue on hover.
  • Turns red when a page is loading.

The proposed iconography is mostly colorless. Adding color to these temporary action driven buttons will make it more obvious something is going on.