The Verge - Firefox OS: a new web-based mobile platform emerges

First Mozilla Firefox OS phones going on sale Tuesday

2013-04-22T17:19:04Z

We've heard a lot about the open, HTML5-focused strategy behind Mozilla's Firefox OS for mobile devices, but that will all be put to the test starting this week. The first two smartphones running Firefox OS — Keon and Peak, low-end developer models from Spanish startup company Geeksphone — are set to open for worldwide pre-order as early as tomorrow, possibly Wednesday, according to The Next Web. Pricing is still in flux, according to the report, but Keon should start at around 115 euros ($150 US) with tax included, and the Peak will debut at 180 Euros (about $234 US). Geeksphone is said to begin shipping globally by the end of the week. We've reached out to Mozilla and Geeksphone for more details and will update when we hear back.

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With Firefox OS, Mozilla gets a little dirty to clean the mobile web

2013-02-27T18:40:04Z

At MWC this week, showgoers are finally getting a look at the first Firefox OS devices that will come to market in the next few months.

To be blunt, they’re not very good: the ZTE Open and Alcatel One Touch Fire look and feel like low-end handsets from two or three years ago. The operating system — which is "made of the web," as Mozilla proudly proclaims — seems to struggle at times to overcome the cheap silicon it’s been saddled with.

But "good" is a relative term. Firefox OS could actually be wildly successful, no matter how underwhelming the actual phones may be. And that’s because — at least for now — you’re not the customer; your carrier is.

Samsung reportedly uninterested in Firefox OS for its budget phones

2013-02-26T00:53:46Z

Sony may be on board, but there's at least one company that isn't interested in Firefox OS: Samsung won't be working with the new operating system, according to CNET. Mozilla's OS is intended for devices in regions that are just now adopting smartphones, a market that Samsung seems to have in mind for its own Tizen operating system. Samsung is only one partner in Tizen's development, but the company today announced plans to fold its previous homegrown operating system, Bada OS, into Tizen — a big move that speaks to its hopes for the new platform.

Between Firefox OS, Tizen, and budget smartphones from Nokia, it's clear that there's significant interest in addressing developing markets. Samsung plans to release multiple Tizen devices...

Sony developing Firefox OS hardware, hopes to release first product in 2014

2013-02-25T18:54:55Z

Firefox OS just landed another major hardware vendor: Sony has announced its engineers are currently developing hardware running the new operating system and that it aims to bring a product to market in 2014. The news was part of an announcement between Sony Mobile and wireless carrier Telefonica. Both companies have signed onto a multi-year agreement that, aside from guaranteeing continued support for Sony's Android lineup, creates "a joint technical collaboration to explore the development of a handset running Mozilla’s Firefox OS open source mobile platform."

Sony executive Bob Ishida makes it sound as though the manufacturer is already past the exploration stage, however. "“At Sony Mobile we continue to evaluate innovative...

First Firefox OS phones side-by-side hands-on

2013-02-24T20:07:30Z

Chris Ziegler takes a look at the Alcatel OneTouch Fire and the ZTE Open; two of the first Firefox OS handsets to be officially announced.

Mozilla CEO expects Firefox OS phones for US in 2014

2013-02-24T18:05:34Z

At a Q&A session this afternoon, Mozilla CEO Gary Kovacs mentioned that he expects Firefox OS phones to hit the US "somewhere in the 2014 timeframe." That would be after the first round of launches that are being spearheaded this summer, mostly by European carriers with global presence in emerging markets and areas where smartphones running iOS and Android haven't already taken hold. (The ZTE Open being shown here, for instance, most certainly won't be sold by an American carrier.)

But which carriers? Kovacs simply says that Mozilla has partners "lined up," but considering that Sprint is listed as a "special guest" at today's Firefox OS event, it's a safe bet that they'll be in the first volley.

Alcatel brings Firefox OS to its budget lineup with the One Touch Fire

2013-02-24T17:38:35Z

We're seeing the first wave of Firefox OS smartphones at Mozilla's MWC event, including Alcatel's One Touch Fire, which shares the stage with ZTE's Open. Like the Open, the One Touch Fire is small and fairly low-end: it's based on the Keon reference design, with a 3.5-inch screen and 1GHz processor. There's a 3.2-megapixel rear-facing camera, 256MB of RAM, and 512MB of storage, expandable with an SD card. That's similar to what we've seen on the low end of Alcatel's One Touch Pop line of Android phones, which were set for a spring launch in Asia. Like the Pop line, Alcatel is going for cheap and colorful, with seven hues to choose from.

We're not yet sure how widely the One Touch Fire will be distributed or how much it will cost, but...

Mozilla announces first round of Firefox OS apps and initial carriers

2013-02-24T17:15:27Z

Mozilla's Firefox OS event is just kicking off, but the company is announcing a number of new details on both the hardware and software front. A first round of apps has been confirmed, and it includes unsurprising selections like Facebook and Twitter — two apps that are essential for a proper mobile experience. There are also the usual suspects in the gaming realm, including Cut the Rope, Where's My Water, Where's My Perry, and games from EA. Other options include Box, SoundCloud, and AccuWeather, but overall it's quite a small selection for starters. The long-term success of Firefox OS will depend on getting more key apps into the store, but at least users will be able to tweet from their new Firefox phones when they launch later this...