Thunderbird, which is now operated by Mozilla subsidiary MZLA Technologies, has recently completed its transition from version 115 to version 128. The latest release, Thunderbird 115.15.0, marked the end of version 115 and support for older operating systems like Windows 7, Windows 8, and older macOS versions.
Moving forward, Thunderbird will have four release channels available for users to choose from. The main channel is the ESR (Extended Support Release) channel, which provides annual feature updates and monthly security updates. The latest version on this channel is Thunderbird 128.3.0esr.
A new Release channel will be introduced with Thunderbird version 131, which will follow a four-week update schedule for security updates and new features. Currently, Thunderbird 131 is only available to testers and not yet on the official download page.
In addition to the ESR and Release channels, Thunderbird also offers a Beta channel for testing unstable versions and a Daily channel for the most experimental features. These channels are not recommended for daily use but are available for those interested in testing and development purposes.
Developers have addressed 11 security vulnerabilities across Thunderbird versions 131 and 128.3.0esr, with the majority of these issues present in both versions. Thunderbird 131 also received fixes for 30 other bugs, while Thunderbird 128.3.0esr had fewer reported issues.
It’s important to note that Thunderbird’s Beta and Daily channels are intended for testing purposes and may contain bugs and unstable features. Users should proceed with caution when using these versions for everyday tasks.
Overall, Thunderbird users can look forward to more frequent updates and new features with the introduction of the Release channel. Stay tuned for future releases and enhancements to the popular email client.
