OS — Malaysia IT Fair

Firefox Mobile OS is coming!

In Mobile Devices / By Pui Leng / 5 July 2012

A new contender- Firefox OS is going to join the market which has been crowded by iOS, Android and Windows phone. The OS currently under development as Boot to Gecko combines HTML5 with some of the core elements of Linux technology. The first phones with Firefox OS are expected to launch in early 2013 in Brazil.

Mozilla has revealed the new carriers that will support the OS: In addition to Telefonica and T-Mobile, who both had previously pledged their support, Etisalat, Smart, Sprint, Telecom Italia, and Telenor have joined the party.

As for hardware, ZTE and Alcatel will both make FireFox Mobile OS devices. Qualcomm will provide Snapdragon processors for the phones according to Mozilla, although it will likely be the S3 chip as opposed to the S4, which may make the device too expensive for the price point that Mozilla is hoping for.

Firefox OS promises to bring all of Mozilla’s strengths to smartphones: First-class HTML5 rendering, efficient design, and a truly open-source platform unencumbered by middle ware, privileges partners, or patent litigation.

New Web Standards :

Freedom From Proprietary Mobile Platforms

Operators and developers write apps and services for one platform and then rewrite them for others. Users who want to buy phones, e-readers and game consoles from different manufacturers often need to re-purchase apps for each device.

Opportunities for Developers

Using HTML5 and the new Mozilla-proposed standard APIs, developers everywhere will be able to create amazing experiences and apps. Developers will no longer need to learn and develop against platform-specific native APIs.

Customization for OEMs & Operators

OEMs and operators will be able to provide content and services across their entire device portfolio, regardless of OS. And they will be able to customize user experiences, manage app distribution and retain customer attention, loyalty and billing relationships.

Consumer Freedom

Consumers who use devices based on the Open Web platform will be able to easily access and download their own content regardless of which OS they use.