New Update First look at Firefox's Multiple Picture-in-Picture video feature

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Mozilla revealed some time ago that it was considering lifting the one-video limit for the Firefox web browser's Picture-in-Picture mode. While most Internet users may not have a need for that, unlocking the limit could be of interest to some users, e.g. when watching multiple sports matches, or different camera angles of a single one, or watching news or the stock market.

Mozilla enabled the feature in the most recent Firefox Nightly version by default. It is not obvious immediately that it is enabled, as it is necessary to open multiple tabs with videos to make use of the feature.
Here is how it works currently:

1. Open a tab with a video in the Firefox web browser.
2. Activate the Picture-in-Picture mode with a click on the button.
3. Open another tab and load a website with a video.
4. Activate the button with a click on the icon.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4.
6. The new video is played on top of the playing one. You need to drag and drop it to view both.

Videos play simultaneously and so does the audio. You can mute the sound of individual videos to hear the sound of only one, but it is no requirement.
Videos can be paused and all other Picture-in-Picture controls are provided. The main Firefox window displays a "playing" indicator for all video tabs.

First look at Firefox's Multiple Picture-in-Picture video feature - gHacks Tech News

A first look at the new unlocked Picture-in-Picture mode of the Firefox web browser that enables users to spawn multiple Picture-in-Picture windows.

www.ghacks.net

 

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Firefox's Picture-in-Picture mode to support site-specific wrappers for improved functionality​

Work on site-specific video player adapters started about a year ago when bug 1670108 was opened on Mozilla's bug tracking site. Main reasons for wanting to implement scripts for specific services was compatibility, as global features would sometimes cause unwanted breakage. Mike Conley, the original poster on the bug tracking site, gave an example where a simple function that would change the current time of the video would result in playback stopping on Netflix.

The introduction of site-specific solutions for Firefox's Picture-in-Picture mode brings advanced controls to the mode and reduces the chance of breakage.

Mozilla mentions four video streaming services in its announcement. According to the organization, users can expect scripts for Netflix, YouTube and Amazon, and other services that have not been mentioned in the announcement.

The latest version of Firefox Nightly includes the infrastructure that powers these site-specific video wrapper scripts. Mozilla implemented a proof-of-concept script for YouTube that syncs the mute button of the Picture-in-Picture window with the mute state of the video player on YouTube.

Mozilla will keep the functionality restricted to Firefox Nightly for now to address potential bugs and issues that are reported to the organization. The feature will then be uplifted to Firefox Stable eventually.

Firefox's Picture-in-Picture mode to support site-specific wrappers for improved functionality - gHacks Tech News

Mozilla laid the foundation for site-specific video wrapper scripts in this week's release of Firefox Nightly, the cutting-edge development version of the Firefox browser.

www.ghacks.net

 

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Subtitles in Picture-in-Picture mode in Firefox Nightly​

[...] Open any video in Firefox Nightly, and switch to the Picture-in-Picture mode by clicking the pop-out button. It should display the subtitles right inside the PiP panel. The browser supports subtitles uploaded by the content creator, and closed captions that are auto-generated by streaming services.

I tested the new feature with YouTube, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and it worked fine on all three platforms. However, the subtitles didn't appear in PiP mode when I played videos on Disney+ Hotstar. That is quite understandable, as it is an experimental feature, and Mozilla's announcement in January did mention that they were testing the video wrapper scripts (that enables this feature) with just 4 streaming services as a start, this service was not of them. Hopefully, the developers will expand support for more websites in the future, once they have worked out the kinks with the current version.

Limitations in Picture-in-Picture mode​

There is one minor issue with the player. You can't change the subtitle's settings directly from the Picture-in-picture panel in Firefox. Regular users may be aware that the pop-up player uses settings of the web player, e.g. to change the resolution or playback speed. So, if you want to change the language or other subtitle options, you will need to set them in the parent tab to make the PiP window reflect the same settings.

Firefox Nightly adds support for subtitles in Picture-in-Picture mode - gHacks Tech News

Firefox now displays subtitles for videos in Picture-in-Picture mode. The feature is currently available in the Nightly channel.

www.ghacks.net

 

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Summary: Mozilla is enhancing the Picture in Picture experience in Firefox by providing controls for rewinding, going full screen, and checking video duration. These controls have been requested by many users and may be included in Firefox version 112 or later.

Firefox Picture in Picture gets full Playback controls

Mozilla is constantly working to improve the Picture in Picture feature in Firefox. To the latest, the company is adding more playback controls for a better user experience. These controls include video duration, rewind, and full-screen options. Firefox introduced Picture in Picture three years...

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