Firefox OS smartphone to launch in the UK

Mozilla, the non-profit organisation behind the open-source Firefox web browser, announced it would be developing a mobile operating system earlier in the year.

The new device, The Open, will retail for £59.99 in the UK and $79.99 in the US. It will come unlocked and is completely web-based, so users do not need to download and install apps.

And ZTE, the Chinese telecommunications company which is producing the phone, said the Open Firefox OS would be available via the company’s eBay stores, bypassing carriers.

In terms of specs, The Open will come with a 3.5-inch screen, 1GHz processor, 3.2-megapixel camera and 512MB of integrated storage.

“Mozilla is dedicated to moving the Web forward as a platform for innovation and building products that people love," said Dr. Li Gong, a vice president at Mozilla.

“We are pleased that now we will put the full power of the web in even more people’s hands.

“With a great potential user base, we know that even more developers around the world will create their apps with new APIs to stimulate an inspiring new wave of innovation.”

He added that the device was ideal for consumers looking to upgrade to a smartphone for the first time.

:story: The Telegraph