VR Beyond the Basics: Wolvic Embraces Chrome on Android

For VR devices built on the Android platform, in addition to the native browser, they can also install alternative browsers such as Wolvic. Wolvic, the successor to Firefox Reality, originally employed the Gecko engine. However, according to updates from UploadVR and Wolvic‘s official channels, Wolvic has recently launched a version utilizing the Chromium engine.

This Chromium-based version of Wolvic is numbered 0.9 and is a public beta. Like the official release, it supports devices such as Meta Quest, the Pico series, Huawei VR glasses, and Magic Leap 2.

Developers of Wolvic have noted that switching to the Chromium engine has significantly enhanced Wolvic’s performance compared to its Gecko counterpart. This enhancement also positions Wolvic to compete with the built-in browsers of systems like Meta Quest and Pico, which also use the Chromium engine.

The transition to Chromium was prompted by the cessation of support for the Firefox Reality project, coupled with a lack of funding from other active downstream products, leading to the Gecko engine falling behind in features. Many organizations developing XR have invested in Chromium, allowing substantial upstream work to be done on it. This includes enhancements to support the WebXR AR module, WebXR layers, hand tracking, and other features, making the Chromium engine more competitive and efficient for Wolvic.

Meanwhile, the developers stated that the Gecko-based version of Wolvic will coexist with the Chromium version for some time. They will not immediately discontinue the Gecko engine, but the Chromium version is expected to become the mainstream. This will continue unless funding is secured specifically for the long-term maintenance of the Gecko version. Additionally, the initial release of Wolvic Chromium lacks extensions and synchronization features, which developers plan to incorporate later.