Fenix: Know when a new add-on becomes available

[vesta0]

• [ ] https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/android-components/issues/8742

User Story

As a user, I want to know when a new recommended/supported add-on becomes available on Fenix.

User problem:

• Our users don't have a way of knowing when an add-on they want becomes available in Fenix unless they manually check for it all the time.
• They may have checked the add-ons settings page once (or not at all) and decided it wasn't for them at the time but newly added add-ons may fit their needs.

Acceptance Criteria

• I know when a new add-on is available
• It's clear to me how to install an add-on

[lindongbin]

It’s time to enable the installation of all extensions in the addons store and local, instead of the few extensions you recommend. #11308

[teohhanhui]

11308 is about sideloading. AMO support is needed to restore an open marketplace where community extensions can thrive again, not just the few handpicked by Mozilla. #5315 was closed without addressing this issue.

Not being able to use the extensions I choose as a user, that has really forced me to stay on Fennec (I had to switch to Fennec F-Droid).

I've tried searching but can't find an issue about bringing back an open AMO for Fenix. Could you point us to one, or should someone open a separate issue?

Thanks.

[brampitoyo]

We’ve mocked up designs and strings for this last year, I think. I’m posting the design below.

New Tab Page or Webpage View

A blue notification dot shows up to mark that something new exists in the Main menu.

Main menu

The “Add-ons” menu item will have a blue dot and a CFR.

Strings:

• 1 new add-on: New in add-ons: [add-on name]
• 2 new add-ons: New in add-ons: [add-on name] and [add-on name]
• 3 new add-ons: New in add-ons: [add-on name], [add-on name], and [add-on name]

We won’t show more than 3 add-ons at a time, and should make sure that this CFR doesn’t show up too often.

Add-ons submenu

Inside the “Add-ons” submenu, the “Add-ons manager” menu item will have a blue notification dot. Underneath, the caption is labelled “New add-ons available”.

Add-ons Manager

Inside the Add-ons Manager itself, we won’t show anything. Users will quickly notice that new icons have appeared to indicate newly available add-ons.

[eliserichards]

We are getting a list from AMO, so AC will know based on the cache when the list has changed. This will have to be checked every time a user gets a new app update that contains new addons

[eliserichards]

Open questions:

• leanplum push notification vs CFR implementation
• engineering work for CFR would be greater. What is the tradeoff of leanplum vs cfr for user messaging?
• no AC work required if we do leanplum

[vesta0]

We do not want to do this work using LeanPlum.

[liuche]

Complexities in this issue:

• we don't have any existing CFRs that link to the menu (which lives in AC)
• we may not have the API from AC exposed yet, to notify that there are new addons

Will need @csadilek to confirm whether these are the main pieces of work, and to file the AC tickets.

[csadilek]

@liuche yes, confirmed :). Here's the A-C issue: https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/android-components/issues/8742

[bifleming]

Thinking this might not be something we want to do, given we may go to GA in 2021 (Q1?) Need to talk with Add-ons team.
A/C effort is '5'. Fenix work is at least '13'.