1840721 - We should prefer switching to open tabs vs opening a duplicate tab

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(Firefox for Android :: Homepage, enhancement, P2)

Description

[Verdi [:verdi] Best to slack me]

On the Firefox homepage we do two different things with regard to currently open tabs depending on where you start. If you click a bookmark or shortcut for a tab that you already have open, it opens a new tab. If you click a link the tab in jump back in or an open pocket story it brings you to the already open tab. We should prefer switching you to an already open tab over opening a new copy of that tab.

Steps to reproduce

1. Bookmark mozilla.org and pin it to your shortcuts.
2. Tap the home button
3. Tap the link to mozilla.org in the Jump Back In section
4. Notice that you are taken to the existing tab.
5. Tap the home button again
6. This time tap the shortcut for mozilla.org
7. Notice that a new mozilla.org tab was opened and that you now have two of the same tab.

Expected behavior

Clicking the shortcut should take you to the already open tab

Actual behavior

Clicking the shortcut opens a duplicate tab

Device information

• Firefox version: 114.2
• Android device model: Samsung Galaxy S9
• Android OS version: 10

Any additional information?

Comment 1

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco/ :calixte]]

The severity field is not set for this bug.
:towhite, could you have a look please?

For more information, please visit BugBot documentation.

Comment 2

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco/ :calixte]]

The severity field is not set for this bug.
:towhite, could you have a look please?

For more information, please visit BugBot documentation.

Comment 3

[BMO Github Automation]

Attachment: [mozilla-mobile/firefox-android] Bug 1840721 - We should prefer switching to open tabs vs opening a duplicate tab (#2947)

Comment 4

[BMO Github Automation]

Authored by https://github.com/t-p-white
https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/firefox-android/commit/3a081625bcf147583780d3bdff81868a977f23e5
[main] Bug 1840721 - We should prefer switching to open tabs vs opening a duplicate tab

Comment 5

[Lorand Janos]

Managed to reproduce the previous behavior on yesterday's Nightly 117.0a1 build (from 2023-07-25).
Also still reproducible on today's first Nightly as well (from 2023-07-26).
Should we recheck tomorrow?
Devices used: Oppo Find X5 (Android 13) and Google Pixel 7 (Android 14).

Comment 6

[twhite]

Original PR has only fixed the 'Recent Bookmarks' behaviour, Top Sites behaviour will also need updating. I'll pick this up

Comment 7

[Joe M [:jmahon]]

Tom, does this need to be re-opened? Or will you do the remaining work in a new bug? (if so, could you link it here for continuity?)

Comment 8

[twhite]

Think it makes sense to do the work as part of this bug so will re-open.

Comment 9

[twhite]

Verdi, should this behaviour also apply to sponsored Top Sites?

Update: No, exclude sponsored Top Sites from this behaviour

Comment 10

[BMO Github Automation]

Attachment: [mozilla-mobile/firefox-android] Bug 1840721 - For top sites we should prefer switching to open tabs vs opening a duplicate tab (#3070)

Comment 11

[BMO Github Automation]

Authored by https://github.com/t-p-white
https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/firefox-android/commit/ab8e5a9150d92a2e6e7a9cbed3cc8ce204167eca
[main] Bug 1840721 - For top sites we should prefer switching to open tabs vs opening a duplicate tab

Comment 12

[Andrei Mocirean]

Hello,

Verified the ticket on the latest Nightly (118.0a1) from 7th of August 2023.
Tested using the following scenario:

• Bookmarked Aliexpress, added it to the shortcuts. While having an opened tab of Aliexpress homepage, when I tapped the shortcut from the Firefox' Homescreen, the tab was switched to the opened one instead of opening a new one.
  Tested on: Huawei P50 Pro (Android 11), Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Android 13), Lenovo Tab P11 Plus (Android 12).

When I tried doing the same with Wikipedia, the behaviour was different, as it opens a new tab every time the shortcut is tapped.
Is this the desired behaviour?

Thanks!

Comment 13

[twhite]

Thanks Andrei. Yes, this is expected as it is one of the default top sites. With this ticket, we want to ensure that only user created pins are not opened in a new tab.

Comment 14

[Andrei Mocirean]

Thanks!
I will mark the ticket as verified fixed and remove the qe-verify+ label.
Thanks for the info!

Comment 15

[Donal Meehan [:dmeehan]]

:twhite could you consider if this should be in a release note?
https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/Release_Notes_Nomination

Comment 16

[twhite]

Release Note Request (optional, but appreciated)
[Why is this notable]: Consistent behaviour with how other shortcuts are accessed. Prevents multiple duplicate new tabs being opened.
[Affects Firefox for Android]:
[Suggested wording]: Pinned user shortcuts now open in an existing tab if it has the same URL.
[Links (documentation, blog post, etc)]:

Comment 17

[Donal Meehan [:dmeehan]]

Thanks, added to the Nightly release notes. Keeping the relnote? flag open to keep it on the radar for inclusion in our final release notes.