The competition for Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS is slowly building up. Earlier this month we reported the Ubuntu Phone OS. Today, it is the Firefox OS for mobiles.
Firefox OS is a new mobile operating system built entirely using open web standards. In Firefox OS, HTML5 apps can do “phone things” – they can make the phone vibrate, make a phone call or send a text message.
This week Mozilla announced the new Firefox OS developer preview phones because they believe that developers will help bring the power of the web to mobile. These developer phones are being developed by Geeksphone in partnership with Telefonica and Geeksphone. Mozilla plans to make them available in February.
The phones will be available in two models – Keon and Peak. The specs are listed below.
The Keon model
- CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 1Ghz
- UMTS 2100/1900/900 (3G HSPA)
- GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (2G EDGE)
- Screen 3.5? HVGA Multitouch
- 3 MP Camera
- 4GB ROM, 512 MB RAM
- MicroSD, Wifi N, Light and proxmity Sensor, G-Sensor, GPS, MicroUSB
- 1580 mAh battery
- Over the air updates
- Unlocked, add your own SIM card
The Peak model
- CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.2Ghz x2.
- UMTS 2100/1900/900 (3G HSPA).
- GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (2G EDGE).
- Screen 4.3? qHD IPS Multitouch.
- Camera 8 MP (back) + 2 MP (front).
- 4 GB (ROM) and 512 (RAM).
- MicroSD, Wifi N, Light and proxmity Sensor, G-Sensor, GPS, MicroUSB, Flash (camera).
- Battery 1800 mAh.
Try out Firefox OS
If you’re a developer interested in web technologies and mobile, you can try out Firefox OS.
You can try out Firefox OS and your app (if you created one) in several different ways:
- 1. Install Marketplace for Android on your Android phone. (Your friends and family can also do this – it’s as easy as installing an app, so they can try out your app too.)
- 2. Use the browser-based Firefox OS Simulator to view and test your mobile app on the desktop.
- 3. Install Firefox OS on your own hardware.
- 4.Purchase a Firefox OS Developer Preview device!
