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For those that love web browser Firefox we have some exciting news for you. The makers of Firefox, Mozilla, have recently announced the first Firefox OS that will be seeing use in devices in early 2013. Already on board are China’s ZTE and TCL, two of China’s big manufacturers. These Chinese Tycoons are willing to create devices for the OS sporting Qualcomm Snapdragon processors which are the same chips used in the Samsun Galaxy S III. This is very exciting as there are already many commitments from international companies like Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, Sprint, and Telefonica. These carriers are excited to see the device hit their stores and want to be the first to introduce the Firefox OS into their respective countries. The Google OS Android is often called an open platform, but compared to this incoming OS it barely earns the title. The Firefox OS is based on HTML 5 and open web standards. This means that functions like calling, messaging, and many more are all based on the common web script HTML5. Developers will have much more freedom when it comes to creating applications as they will have access to aspects of the device that have previously been locked down or restricted. Most phones on the market now have restrictions on the device and its operations put there by the carrier or the provider (like Google or Apple). The Firefox OS phone’s only real comparison is when you “root” an android to improve the functionality but this isn’t a common method. The goal is to break away from the so called walled garden of mobile operating systems and create an environment that promotes innovation. They want to allow everyone to have access to the underlying capabilities of the phone and break the mold that only allows these functions to be accessible to native apps. The fact that there is as much support for the new device already shows that there is a position open for this kind of device and that it will create a new ecosystem for mobile developers to flourish. The Firefox OS is going to push the boundary by driving prices down. It will be offering a highly customizable, functional, and most importantly cheaper phone. There is no released price as of yet but the statement from Mozilla and its supporters hints that they are starting a campaign to push for lower costing phones to be with a friendly mobile experience that can be both simple and complex. It’s hard to imagine that with the support the OS already has that it won’t be a hit but it seems to be a toss-up at the moment. This could be the opportunity that many were waiting for. There are a number of Android developers that focus on “rooted” devices for their product and these guys in particular should enjoy the opportunity that Mozilla is offering. This could be the game changed of 2013 that alters the face of mobile phones and applications. The issue at this point is that high end developers are looking at the new concept with much skepticism. The native languages of Google, Apple, Microsoft, and others like them offer tried and true tools that ease the process. HTML5 however does not have these tools yet. Many are saying that the immaturity of the HTML5 development tools could hinder its progress greatly and even stat that while HTML5 will be the future of web apps, the Firefox OS may be a bit early to the game. The ecosystem that is currently thriving is based more heavily on the applications, content, and partners rather than the platform it is on. While open sourced is great and will ultimately dominate, the market as it stands is not very friendly to these mobile platforms. A few examples such as webOS and Tizen were met with a very lackluster welcome and were pretty much dead on arrival. The Boot to Gecko mobile platform is exciting and new. With any luck it will be a success. Yet there is both support and opposition to this Open Sourced wonder. A number of Developers are stating that this kind of platform doesn’t have a place in the market yet while it looks like manufacturers disagree. This phone has potential and many will be waiting to see its success or failure. At Moro Interactive our developers are excited to see the results and are waiting patiently for the release and integration of this OS. Keep an eye on it as it might just be the next trend.
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Mozilla, firefox OS, boot to gecko, firefox phone,
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