Firefox Operating System for smartphones is underway courtesy of the back up of a number of global mobile networks.
According to Gary Kovacs, CEO, Mozilla, the OS will deliver simpler user smartphone experience to help billions of first time Internet users.
Around 36 percent of the world’s 7 billion people have access to the Internet. As firms come up with affordable smartphones, the possibility of Internet reaching all slowly becomes a reality, according to experts.
Firms are also battling for control of the African smartphone market by producing affordable phones. A recent report shows that China has more than 513 million Internet users with 356 million accessing the Internet via their mobile phones.
Firefox being among the top three global Web browsers is expected to have a high uptake as a smartphone OS given its already 23.1 market share on the Web. Mozilla says the new Firefox OS for smartphones will target low-end smartphones and not top notch iOS, Windows Phone or Android smartphones.
In Africa, Android has a range of affordable smartphones and the two mobile operating systems will have to share the low-end smartphone market.
According to Kovacs, the smartphone OS is already gaining support.
Kovacs said: “Several mobile operators and manufacturers are supporting this move and even coming on board with additional resources and diversity to our global offerings.”
The mobile networks supporting the development including Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, Smart, Sprint, Telecom Italia, Telefónica and Telenor have all announced support for the software.
The OS will be first featured on ZTE and TCL Communication Technology phones.
Firefox expects to launch its Firefox OS powered smartphones in Brazil in early next year.
