Firefox OS for Smartphones: Everything You Should Know

Wale Adekile

July 7, 2012

Android, being open source, now has one more OS to compete with and that’s Firefox OS. The mobile market which is already crowded still attracts more and more investors and it’s no surprise when Facebook was said to be working on releasing its own smartphone. Firefox OS, formerly Boot to Gecko (B2G) was a project announced by Mozilla Cooperation in July 2011. It’s going to be another open source mobile OS just like it’s popular web browser, Mozilla Firefox.

Will Firefox OS survive in the crowded mobile market?

In a market already dominated by iOS and Android OS, WP7 seems to be struggling to catch up and one can’t help but wonder if Firefox OS will also become a major player in this market. Granted, being open source will definitely aid its growth and popularity but another thing to consider is consumers acceptability. It’s a good thing to have a competitive mobile market actually, each player tries to outsmart the other by being innovative and cutting prices and at the long run, this benefits end users in every way.

How is it going to work?

Firefox OS is going to be an open source mobile operating system based purely on HTML5. The original conception is basically to have all user-accessible software and programs running on the mobile phone to be a Web app that uses advanced HTML5 techniques and device APIs to access the phone’s hardware directly through the use of JavaScript. With Adobe ending Flash support on mobile devices as seen on Android 4.1, HTML5 is surely going to see some rapid developments in the next couple of months as it is become the center of rich media on mobile, and with Firefox taking it a step further by using it basically for Web app development, it can only get better.

When is it going to released?

The first smartphone to run Firefox OS is set to be released by January 2013 and this is confirmed. Mozilla has support from Telefonica, Brazil which plans to launch the first Firefox OS phones in Brazil in 2013 under its “Vivo” brand. Also, it’s been said that the third largest mobile operator in the US, Sprint, is also on board. Leading Chines phone company, ZTE, also plans to manufacture Firefox OS devices. There are lots of mobile operators including German Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat UAE, Filipino Smart, Telecom Italia, Brazillian Telefónica, and Norweigan Telenor.

How Much is it going to cost?

Since it seems Mozilla is targeting emerging markets, the price is even going to be much lower than expected. Telefonica has said that its first handset, which will go on sale in Brazil, will be super cheap. It’s going to be something around $100. Mozilla plans to produce high end smartphones later in the future but for now, they’re starting right from the bottom to climb their way up the ladder.

Conclusion

Being purely HTML5 based, it’s is going to be smart, fast and efficient with all Firefox OS smartphones running Qualcomm processors. It’s been said that Mozilla already had a deal with the chip maker. Google Maps is fully integrated into the OS, also Twitter and Facebook.The only doubt most people have is its survival but its a bold step from Mozilla, being a non-profit organization that’s been surviving for years.

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Wale Adekile

Husband to the world's most beautiful woman and father to two awesome kids. A nerd, obviously; also, a technical business analyst, a web designer who preaches the gospel of WordPress, and a writer. You can check out my published books on Amazon.