Mozilla will launch in a few days its first version of Firefox operating system designed for smartphones, and the first devices with the new open-source operating system will go on sale in markets with developing economies around the month of July at a price of under $100, the company announced.
The new operating system is not intended for markets in the United States, Western Europe and Asia, as Mozilla strategy is to target countries with developing economies. The first phones with Firefox system will be available in the coming months in Europe for buyers in Hungary, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Spain and in Latin America for users in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela.
“We can make a difference if we can achieve a market share of about 10 per cent,” said Gong Li, Mozilla president of Asia operations.
Recently, the Taiwanese company Foxconn, which makes iPads and iPhones for Apple, has partnered with Mozilla for manufacturing phones with Firefox operating system. Mozilla and Foxconn will discuss with retail companies and mobile operators for the distribution of the phones based on Firefox OS.
There is speculation rising on the market that Foxconn will develop a tablet with the open source operating system, but both companies declined to comment, according to RIA Novosti.
In addition to the usual functions of a smartphone, mobile phones with Firefox OS will include a function for the users to prevent their activity or habits on the Internet to be recorded or followed.
Other Asian phone manufacturers such as ZTE and TCL have made similar announcements about new smartphones with Firefox OS. Sony, LG and Huawei will also launch new smartphones powered by the operating system from Mozilla.
According to Mozilla, thousands of apps will be available for the new phones. In addition, because Firefox OS is not tied to a specific e-commerce partner, users will not be limited in the choice of applications, as is the case for iPhone applications or Google Play for Android phones.
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