Firefox OS Powered Smartphones Launching Early Next Year

[ZeroDay]

Industry support is growing behind Mozilla’s plans to launch a new fully open mobile ecosystem based on HTML5. The operating system, which Mozilla today confirmed will use its Firefox brand, will power the launch of smartphones built entirely to open Web standards, where all of the device’s capabilities can be developed as HTML5 applications.

Device manufacturers TCL Communication Technology (under the Alcatel One Touch brand) and ZTE today announced their intentions to manufacture the first devices to feature the new Firefox OS, using Snapdragon™ processors from Qualcomm Incorporated, the leader in smartphone platforms. The first Firefox OS powered devices are expected to launch commercially in Brazil in early 2013 through Telefónica’s commercial brand, Vivo.

The Firefox OS for mobile devices is built on Mozilla’s “Boot to Gecko project” which unlocks many of the current limitations of web development on mobile, allowing HTML5 applications to access the underlying capabilities of a phone, previously only available to native applications. Telefónica’s Digital unit joined forces with Mozilla earlier this year to take this work and showcase a new phone architecture where every phone feature (calling, messaging, games, etc.) is an HTML5 application.

Due to the optimization of the platform for entry-level smartphones and the removal of unnecessary middleware layers, mobile operators will have the ability to offer richer experiences at a range of price points including at the low end of the smartphone price range, helping to drive adoption across developing markets.

Mozilla and all other participants are committed to ensuring the project is fully open and the reference implementation of the required Web APIs is being submitted to W3C for standardization.

“The introduction of the open mobile OS continues the Mozilla mission to promote openness, innovation and opportunity on the Web for users and developers. As billions of users are expected to come online for the first time in the coming years, it is important to deliver a compelling smartphone experience that anyone can use,” said Gary Kovacs, CEO, Mozilla. “The large number of operators and manufacturers now supporting this effort will bring additional resources and diversity to our global offerings.”

The first Firefox OS powered devices are expected to launch commercially in Brazil in early 2013 through Telefónica’s commercial brand, Vivo.

Source

 

[Ink]

10 Things you need to know about Firefox OS

Tried to summerise it, but click above for full version.

1. Release date - second half of 2013.
2. Cost - it's starting at the bottom.
3. Web-based HTML 5 – similar to Google's Chrome OS.
4. Better than Android - "a better budget experience than Android"
5. Easy app porting - found 75% of * apps are already written in HTML 5.
6. Social networking integration - deeply integrated into the Firefox OS.
7. Full Google Maps -reveals the full blown version.
8. Qualcomm power - exclusive deal with the chip maker.
9. Widget potential - Mozilla isn't ruling out the inclusion of widgets
10. Simple, quick and efficient - even on handsets running 600MHz processors.

:biggrin:

 

[Detection]

Are they going to have 32GB RAM ?

Their browser can eat 2-3GB easily, I dread to think what an entire OS would use

 

[pcjunklist]

really a year away, by then the world will have been taken hostage by Apple...

 

[HeffeD]

Their browser can eat 2-3GB easily, I dread to think what an entire OS would use

What could you possibly be doing that causes it to consume this much RAM? :huh:

I've used Firefox for years and I've never seen it get to even a half a GB. And I tend to have 10-20 tabs open at all times...

It's currently sitting at around 150MB, and that's pretty average for having so many tabs open...

 

[McLovin]

Would be good to see what it looks like. Might look the same as it's browser

 

[Detection]

Their browser can eat 2-3GB easily, I dread to think what an entire OS would use

What could you possibly be doing that causes it to consume this much RAM? :huh:

I've used Firefox for years and I've never seen it get to even a half a GB. And I tend to have 10-20 tabs open at all times...

It's currently sitting at around 150MB, and that's pretty average for having so many tabs open...

11 tabs open @ 383MB atm

FF is well known for its memory leaks, although 13.0.1 seems better, the older and beta / nightly releases still hit 2.5GB+ for me sometimes

I managed to plug the leak using a combination of things like MemFox in nightlys though but not without weird freezing side effects

 

[HeffeD]

11 tabs open @ 383MB atm

24 tabs open, 222MB. I think you may have an extension installed that is sucking up more RAM.

FF is well known for its memory leaks,

Not to the tune of 2.5-3GB...

although 13.0.1 seems better, the older and beta / nightly releases still hit 2.5GB+ for me sometimes

Ah. Yes, if you're running betas/nightlies, you can expect to see odd behavior.

 

[pcjunklist]

Also some pics of Mozilla Boot to Gecko
http://blog.gsmarena.com/see-mozillas-boot2gecko-mobile-os-in-action-partners-to-be-revealed-at-mwc/

Would be good to see what it looks like. Might look the same as it's browser

 

[McLovin]

Looks a bit like Macs.

 

[pcjunklist]

Available for testing now.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/19/download-nightlies-of-firefox-os-get-your-own-hands-on/

 

[McLovin]

Thanks for this. Not like I could use it on the slow phone I have.

 

[ZeroDay]

http://www.redmondpie.com/mozilla-f...tphones-revealed-looks-promising-screenshots/