Mozilla to Discontinue Pocket Bookmarking Service

The Mozilla Foundation has announced the imminent shutdown of its Pocket bookmarking service, citing a shift in user browsing habits as the primary reason for this decision. Users are urged to take action to save their bookmarks before the service is discontinued in a few weeks.

In a recent blog post, Mozilla explained that they plan to redirect their resources towards enhancing the Firefox browser and improving curated link recommendations within it. This follows a trend they announced earlier this year, where they began consolidating development teams.

As of May 22, Mozilla has initiated steps towards deactivating Pocket. Users can no longer install new web applications for Pocket, although existing users may still access the service temporarily. Users who have the Pocket browser extension installed will need to remove it manually.

The official end date for Pocket is set for July 8, 2025, at which point the service will no longer be functional. Users with paid subscriptions will receive a prorated refund, while those with monthly plans will not see their subscriptions renewed after May.

Users still have an opportunity to export their saved articles, notes, and bookmarks until October 8, 2025, when Pocket will permanently close. Instructions for exporting Pocket lists are available in Mozilla's customer service section. It is advisable for users to begin the export process sooner rather than later, as it may take up to a day to complete.

Mozilla acquired Pocket in 2017 from Read It Later Inc. to strengthen its mobile presence and enhance content discovery for users. Over the past eight years, the service has connected millions of users and received several awards.

In addition to Pocket, Mozilla has also decided to cease operations for Fakespot, a browser extension aimed at identifying fake online shops. The foundation cited economic challenges in establishing a sustainable business model for this service. Fakespot, which was integrated into Mozilla in 2023, will be discontinued on July 1, 2025, along with its mobile applications and website.

These developments come amid increasing pressure on the Mozilla Foundation, particularly due to regulatory actions against Google that threaten its revenue stream, which heavily relies on advertising income from the tech giant. Google is the default search engine in the Firefox browser, a partnership that generated approximately $495 million for Google in 2023.