ZTE to sell Firefox phones in USA, UK

14 Aug 2013

WASHINGTON, USA: The Firefox smartphone is getting its biggest launch and biggest test. Chinese telecommunications company ZTE announced plans on Monday (12 August) to sell a low-cost smartphone using the open source Firefox operating system in the United States and Britain.

ZTE said its Open Firefox OS phone will be sold through eBay in the US for US$79.99 and £59.99 in Britain.

The phone, unlocked to allow use on a variety of mobile networks, uses the open source Firefox operating platform from the non-profit Mozilla Foundation, which is aiming to break the dominance of Google's Android and Apple's iOS.

"The global availability of the ZTE Open through eBay means that more consumers worldwide are now able, for the first time, to buy an affordable smartphone based entirely on open Web standards," the Chinese firm said in a statement.

"The ZTE Open is powered by Firefox OS, which frees developers, operators and consumers from the constraints of existing closed systems by using the Web as the platform for all functionality and applications," ZTE said.

The statement said sales would begin soon, without elaborating.

More options for customers

ZTE vice president Dai Wenhong said: The company is devoted to providing more options for customers globally and enabling them to live better lives using advanced technology.

"The ZTE Open offers customers a smartphone at an incredible price, making it ideal for cost conscious consumers or those looking to upgrade to a smartphone for the first time," Wenhong said.

The phone offered for US and British consumers is orange, while a blue version has been on sale in Spain and Venezuela and a black version in Colombia.

A blog posting by California-based Mozilla said, "We are excited that soon developers and curious, early adopters around the globe will be able to get their Firefox OS phone, just a month after the initial commercial launch."

Mozilla said the devices are targeted at the first time smartphone user, and allow consumers to get the performance, personalisation and price they want in a smartphone that is good-looking, intuitive and easy-to-use.

In June, Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision said it aims to hire up to 3,000 people to develop devices and software for Mozilla's Firefox operating system.

Hon Hai, better known by its trade name Foxconn and a major supplier to Apple, plans to produce five devices running on Firefox.

The Firefox operating system uses applications on HTML5, a Web standard which operates across platforms, unlike those developed for specific systems such a Apple's iOS or Google Android.

Mozilla said its vision is to create a more powerful, open Web, so more browsers adopt the open Web technologies that power Firefox, Firefox OS and Firefox for Android.

The Mozilla Foundation, developer of the Firefox browser, claims to have at least 17 operators on board and plans to launch phones in Brazil, Hungary, Mexico, Montenegro, Poland and Serbia.

Source: AFP via I-Net Bridge

Source: I-Net Bridge

For more than two decades, I-Net Bridge has been one of South Africa’s preferred electronic providers of innovative solutions, data of the highest calibre, reliable platforms and excellent supporting systems. Our products include workstations, web applications and data feeds packaged with in-depth news and powerful analytical tools empowering clients to make meaningful decisions.

We pride ourselves on our wide variety of in-house skills, encompassing multiple platforms and applications. These skills enable us to not only function as a first class facility, but also design, implement and support all our client needs at a level that confirms I-Net Bridge a leader in its field.

Go to: http://www.inet.co.za