Game changer at Mobile World Conference: Firefox Introduces $25 Smartphone for Emerging Markets

Mozilla developer of Firefox browser and operating system unveiled a $25 smartphone at Wireless Industry’s largest annual conference, the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona on Sunday.

Mozilla has announced a line of smartphones starting $25 each, featuring HTML. The budget-friendly phone has been specifically designed to appeal people in developing countries where expensive smartphones have captured the market making it remote for masses who cannot afford it.

Starting $25 each, featuring HTML, the budget-friendly phone has been specifically designed to appeal people in developing countries

Chief Operating Office, Jay Sullivan launched the ultra-cheap reference device partnered with Chinese fables semiconductor designer Spreadtrum to introduced its latest product in to the market. The Mozilla-Spreadtrum team is currently working on eliminating the high-cost barrier; once the developments have been made the smartphone will go on sale which is predicted by the end of this year.

For one thing which is certain is that the smartphones will be slightly different from an average smartphone. They’ll be a bit smaller, with less screen resolution and less power. Mozilla is aiming to connect with a whole new untapped demographic market where $300 or $400 devices are feasible for some consumers.

A trio of chipsets has been built around the ARM Cortex A5 processor. Mozilla plans to enter 12 markets in Asia, Latin America and Africa this year. By the end of last year it had added 15 diverse markets.

The FireFox OS will dig up a few more software update. Mozilla has also announced integration with PhoneGap/Apache Cordova in order to make it much easier for developers to convert HTML 5 content into apps.

Dual Core Firefox OS Smartphones

Alcatel will be expanding their range of smartphones by introducing One Touch Fire S with a Firefox OS and a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, a 4.5 inch 960x540 screen, and support for the new 4G LTE networks. The lowest in the range One Touch Fire C will feature a 1.2GHz dual core processor and a 3.5 inch 480x320 screen.

Alcatel will be expanding their range of smartphones by introducing One Touch Fire S and One Touch Fire C with a Firefox OS

ZTE has a pair of phones underway, targeted exclusively for the lower-end market with 1. GHz dual core processor and either of a 4inch 800x480 screen or a 3.5 inch 480x320 screen.

ZTE has a pair of Firefox OS phones underway

Huawei also unveiled its first Firefox OS phone the Ascend Y300. The low-range smartphone features a 4-inch 800x480 screen, dual-core processor, a 512MB RAM, 5MP rear-facing camera, .3MP front-facing camera with Firefox OS 1.1

Last year, LG Electronics introduced a Firefox OS phone, the Fireweb. Sony had also planned a Firefox OS phone for 2014.

Firefox OS and Tablets

Mozilla is also teaming up with hardware companies to launch tablets featuring Firefox OS. The companies have put together Tablet reference design, 7inch design from VIA and a 10 inch design from Foxconn.

Mozilla and hardware companies have put together Tablet reference design, 7inch design from VIA and a 10 inch design from Foxconn

Alcatel also showed off an early version of new tablet, the One Touch Fire 7(7 inch 960x540 screen and 1.2GHz dual core processor) at the MWC.

Last year about 18 Wireless carriers, including Deutsche Telekom AG, Telefonic SA and Sprint Corp have supported an open mobile OS by Mozilla to build a range of low-end smartphones.