Mozilla enters the smartphone wars with Firefox OS, takes on Windows Phone and Android

WP Central

For the concluding few years, Mozilla, makers of the rex of indie browsers Firefox, have been working on a new mobile Os called Boot2Gekko. The Os was built around HTML5 and CSS coding tools and it tended to wait very much similar Android and iOS—that is it was a collection of icons laid out in a grid with some notifications.

Today, in a somewhat surprising move they announced the re-naming of the OS to Firefox OS and they intend to put it on phones next year. In a printing release, the company noted that information technology had deals with TCL Communication Engineering (Alcatel) and ZTE to make the hardware for new devices with carrier partners Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, Smart, Sprint, Telecom Italy, Telefónica and Telenor are all backing the initiative.

What caught our eye though was Sprint. The visitor who has the HTC Arrive, who claimed sales are miserable and were "thinking nearly" Windows Phone 8 but who were the only major US carrier to not publicly endorse it after the recent Acme. This is the aforementioned company now throwing their chapeau in with Firefox Os which no i has even seen yet let lone knows what's unique about it. Still they can't sign on with Microsoft and their one-two punch of Windows eight and Windows Telephone 8? Yeesh

In fairness, Firefox OS looks to be aiming for low toll handsets, the same marketplace that Windows Phone Tango wants to grab merely tin can't. Even Android apparently can't go every bit depression as Firefox Os though OEMs are certainly trying (don't forget, Android licensees take to pay Microsoft to employ Android). Both Google and Microsoft have publicly commented almost the "$99" smartphone--referring to the cost to industry, non sell. Just today Microsoft reiterated the flexibility of WP8 and its ability scale upwardly as well as down for low-price hardware.

WP Central

Early screenshots of Firefox Bone

Although we have a soft-spot for the Mozilla Foundation and we think they accept made the net earth a better place, we tin can't aid but wonder if this will go anywhere. Microsoft, with all of their money, large ecosystem, media tie-ins and stiff partnership with Nokia are barely making waves. Almost people have already written off RIM with Blackberry 10 and that's a visitor with an established rails record and valuable IP—what chance does Mozilla have with Firefox Bone?

So 2022 will be an interesting year of the giants, Android and iOS with the juggernaut-in-waiting Microsoft dominating the smartphone market, while Blackberry 10, Firefox OS and Bada all fight for fourth place.

We'll let the free market decide this one merely we know where to place our bets. As for Dart, if they don't say something soon about Windows Phone 8 or we don't outset to hear rumblings of new WP8 devices, we seriously suggest you ditch them and expect at T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T or United states of america Cellular for your adjacent-gen handset.

Does Mozilla have a chance for the prepaid/pay-as-yous-get market place or will Android and Windows Phone go there beginning? Should Microsoft be worried? Permit us know in comments.

Source: Mozilla

Episode 10

Ask Windows Central: Will there be a Surface Duo 3?

Welcome to the 10th episode of Enquire Windows Central, a show where we answer our community'due south near asked questions effectually Microsoft, Windows, Surface, Xbox, and the general tech industry. In today's episode, we reply questions most Windows 11, Surface Duo, Your Phone, and more!

The AT&T version of Surface Duo is now getting Android 11

It'due south hither

The AT&T version of Surface Duo is at present getting Android 11

After a very long wait, the original Surface Duo is at present eligible to receive its over-the-air Bone update to Android 11. Here is what is new and fixed with the biggest update yet for Microsoft'due south first dual-screen Android device.