Mozilla has announced that its mobile network operator partners have plans to offer more handsets in more markets.The company will ensure these phones are cheap enough to attract more buyers.
Firefox OS is also expanding to additional form factors, as partners and contributors work to optimize the software for TVs, tablets and other devices.
Earlier in January Panasonic and Mozilla partnered so as to release next-generation smart TVs powered by Firefox OS, they also plan to introduce Firefox Accounts and services later this year.
With Firefox Accounts, Mozilla can better integrate services including Firefox Marketplace, Firefox Sync, backup, storage, or even a service to help locate, message or wipe a phone if it were lost or stolen.
Alcatel Onetouch, Huawei, LG and ZTE currently produce Firefox OS based smartphones.
The newest Firefox OS devices to join the family include the ZTE Open C and Open II, Alcatel OneTouch Fire C, Fire E, Fire S and Fire 7 tablet, all using Qualcomm Snapdragon processors.
Fabless semiconductor vendor, Spreadtrum has also announced WCDMA and EDGE turnkey reference designs for Firefox OS as well as the industry’s first chipset for US$25 smartphones, the SC6821.
Spreadtrum and Mozilla have completed the integration of Firefox OS with Spreadtrum’s SC6821 and SC7710 WCDMA smartphone chipsets, and expect to complete a turnkey reference design for the SC7715, Spreadtrum’s single-core WCDMA smartphone chipset with integrated connectivity, next month.
“Firefox OS is off to an amazing start. We launched our first smartphones in July, and have since expanded into fifteen markets,” said Jay Sullivan, chief operating officer of Mozilla. “Sales have far exceeded our targets. But 2013 was just the beginning. In 2014, we are differentiating our user experience and our partners are growing the portfolio of devices.”