Firefox Mobile OS "will outperform Android"

 

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By Nicole Kobie

Posted on 6 Jul 2012 at 15:49

Firefox Mobile OS will outperform Android on the same smartphone, according to Telefonica executives.

Mozilla earlier this week renamed its Boot-to-Gecko project as Firefox Mobile OS, with Telefonica set to release a handset running the platform in Brazil next year.

The set-up has much in common with Google's Chrome OS, with a lightweight platform that can be easily updated without breaking apps. "Chrome OS is a very similar value proposition," said Carlos Domingo, head of Telefonica's R&D.

Domingo demonstrated the latest version of the OS on an unbranded 2.5in screen device, showing games, contacts lists, and navigation all created using HTML5. The home screen is similar to other mobile OSes, displaying apps in a grid pattern - although the icons are rounded to mimic the Firefox logo.

With Android and iOS battling for first place, and Windows Phone clawing for market share, the mobile space may seem too crowded for another platform, but Telefonica sees room. "Apple and Google are fighting at the high end," Domingo noted, saying the latest features - such as voice controls - are interesting, but not core for most users and drive up the price.

Firefox Mobile, on the other hand, is chasing the budget end of the smartphone market. "Not necessarily the cheapest [handset, but one] with a good user experience that doesn't frustrate users," Domingo said.

The fact the OS is web-based will also help the mobile networks make more from data contracts. "Low-end Android devices don't use much connectivity," Domingo added.

The hardware demands will be modest, Domingo said, claiming the Firefox OS uses less processing power, memory and battery to run than Android. That will let Telefonica target the growing market in developing nations. "We think there's an under-served market - the developing world," Domingo said. "There's hundreds of millions of customers who will buy a smartphone in the next three to five years, and they don't know which one yet."

There's another reason operators are keen on the developing market. Steve Alder, director of global partnerships and devices, noted that many developing countries have low credit-card penetration, meaning digital content sales will be charged directly through the mobile bill, letting operators take a slice.

Open apps

One of the biggest challenges with new mobile platforms is the app ecosystem, but because the apps are coded in HTML5, rather than locked into a single platform, "creating an ecosystem here is not as complicated as creating one for something like Windows Phone 7," Domingo noted.

Devices won't be locked into a single app store, as any HTML5 app will work - meaning developers can write once and run across devices. "By bringing in the open web, you're making the OS not matter," said Domingo.

Some apps will merely be links to a web-hosted system, while others will be stored locally. "We recognise the importance to have a standalone experience," Alder noted.

Telefonica actually started working on a similar project in 2010, and after hearing about Mozilla's Boot-to-Gecko project last year, decided to join forces. "We thought it was pretty cool they were working on the same thing," Domingo said.