MWC: Mozilla reveals first Firefox OS phones

BARCELONA: SOFTWARE HOUSE Mozilla revealed the first phones powered by its HTML5 focused Firefox mobile operating system (OS) on Sunday.

At a press conference at Mobile World Congress that The INQUIRER attended, Mozilla revealed the first Firefox OS phones, the Alcatel One Touch Fire and the ZTE Fire, which will be released this summer.

LG and Huawei have also signed up to build Firefox phones, the company added, although we're yet to catch a glimpse of handsets from either company.

While Mozilla hasn't been keen to talk about specifications, it revealed today that these two phones will feature Qualcomm Snapdragon processors and come with Nokia's Here Maps application preloaded, along with deep Facebook integration.

The firm also talked up its Firefox Marketplace where users can download apps such as Cut the Rope, although it was keen to point out that users will be able to download apps straight from developers - a major benefit of its Firefox OS.

Tony Cripps, principal device analyst at Ovum commented that he thinks Firefox OS is off to a good start, despite such fierce competition in the mobile industry.

He said, "Firefox OS has achieved something that no device software platform has previously managed - translating an industry talking shop into a huge commitment from both carriers and hardware vendors at its commercial launch. Neither Android nor Symbian - the closest benchmarks in terms of broad industry sponsorship that we've previously seen - have rallied the level of support that Firefox OS has achieved so early in its development.

"That is a huge achievement for what, in fairness, has looked like an underdog among the plethora of alternative software platforms currently vying to power the so-called 'third ecosystem'".

Mozilla's first Firefox OS phones, the Alcatel One Touch Fire and ZTE Fire, will make their debuts in Brazil, Colombia, Hungary, Mexico, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Spain and Venezuela.

Check back soon for our hands-on with Firefox OS. µ