dslreports logo
 story category
Sprint Poised to Get Firefox OS Smartphones
With a Particular Aim at Entry Level Users
The folks at Mozilla are getting ready to launch their new HTML5-based Firefox OS for smartphones, and Sprint appears to be one of seven global carriers who'll be initially offering the devices to consumers. The new devices will be manufactured by TCL Communication Technology (Alcatel) and ZTE, and will first be made available on Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, Smart, Sprint, Telecom Italia, Telefónica and Telenor. "Due to the optimization of the platform for entry-level smartphones and the removal of unnecessary middleware layers, mobile operators will have the ability to offer richer experiences at a range of price points including at the low end of the smartphone price range, helping to drive adoption across developing markets," says Mozilla of the project. The first devices are expected to launch in early 2013 on Telefónica's Vivo service.
view:
topics flat nest 
steven s
Premium Member
join:2002-09-14
Dearborn, MI

steven s

Premium Member

Patents

How long before Mozilla, ZTE and Alcatel get sued for patent infringement?

I hope they don't use slide to unlock!

Mike
Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA

1 recommendation

Mike

Mod

If you thought android updated frequently

wait until you have to update your phone every 9 days

Maxo
Your tax dollars at work.
Premium Member
join:2002-11-04
Tallahassee, FL

1 recommendation

Maxo

Premium Member

Re: If you thought android updated frequently

said by Mike:

wait until you have to update your phone every 9 days

This phone will get regular updates? AWESOME!

tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Gulfport, MS

tc1uscg

Member

Re: If you thought android updated frequently

said by Maxo:

said by Mike:

wait until you have to update your phone every 9 days

This phone will get regular updates? AWESOME!

Lets hope they don't pull an Apple. Update you right out of compatibility to newer updated apps. Anyone remember the iPod aka "iFool"? Can't update it past 3.01 and when apps that once worked get "updated", they don't work or get removed. even purchased ones. However, I do wish FF would follows MS's process. Update on the 2nd tuesday each month.

Mike
Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA

Mike

Mod

Re: If you thought android updated frequently

Apple has supported updates a hell of a lot longer than your average android phone.

Eventually the hardware won't run the software. Remember iOS 4 on a 3G? Exactly.

Maxo
Your tax dollars at work.
Premium Member
join:2002-11-04
Tallahassee, FL

Maxo to tc1uscg

Premium Member

to tc1uscg
said by tc1uscg:

However, I do wish FF would follows MS's process. Update on the 2nd tuesday each month.

Personal opinion, and off topic, it's the worst update strategy I've ever heard. If there's an update, release it. If someone wants to plan their updates every 2nd Tuesday, nothing's stopping them. I like knowing that for all my software, when a fix for something is released, it is available immediately.
rahvin112
join:2002-05-24
Sandy, UT

rahvin112

Member

Re: If you thought android updated frequently

Oh come on, we all know it's better to sit on Zero Day Exploits for half a month because you have a police that says only release on the second Tuesday. If that means everyone is exploited then so be it.

tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Gulfport, MS

tc1uscg to Maxo

Member

to Maxo
Off topic? How? The model used by MS for it's updates allows users to be ready for updates. By pushing updates whenever they want, is a PITA and for those who don't have a big data plan, every byte counts so get it right the first time and allow the users to do the rest. If FF can't do this, then they are no better then the developers over at GO who seem to update GO SMS every other day. So, I've turned off my updates. Simple fix. When a new release is out, I'll check it out then and only then will I update.

And I was being a smart azz by the way about MS's every 2nd tuesday of the month.

CurGeorge8
join:2005-05-02
South Park, PA

CurGeorge8 to Mike

Member

to Mike
I get that you might just be trolling a little here, but on what basis do you make your statement of updates being pushed out "every 9 days?" Am I missing something here?

Somnambul33t
L33t.
Premium Member
join:2002-12-05
00000

Somnambul33t

Premium Member

Re: If you thought android updated frequently

said by CurGeorge8:

I get that you might just be trolling a little here, but on what basis do you make your statement of updates being pushed out "every 9 days?" Am I missing something here?

I think he's referring to Firefox browser's current update cycle model that they seemingly copied from google chrome. the browser went from v 3.6 to 12 or w/e it is now in 2 years, thanks to full version number updates every 2 months.

Maxo
Your tax dollars at work.
Premium Member
join:2002-11-04
Tallahassee, FL

Maxo

Premium Member

Re: If you thought android updated frequently

said by Somnambul33t:

I think he's referring to Firefox browser's current update cycle model that they seemingly copied from google chrome. the browser went from v 3.6 to 12 or w/e it is now in 2 years, thanks to full version number updates every 2 months.

2-month updates are for sissies. I get a new version every morning. trunk ftw!

Vesna
@apexcovantage.com

Vesna

Anon

OS

Shot of screen from Firefox OS »firefoxos.info/

burner50
Proud Union THUG
Premium Member
join:2002-06-05
Iowa

burner50

Premium Member

Re: OS

said by Vesna :

Shot of screen from Firefox OS »firefoxos.info/

Looks just like android.

vpoko
Premium Member
join:2003-07-03
Boston, MA

vpoko

Premium Member

Yay

Woohoo, just what we need, another smartphone operating system.

morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000

1 recommendation

morbo

Member

Re: Yay

We do need another viable platform. Competition drives innovation.

vpoko
Premium Member
join:2003-07-03
Boston, MA

vpoko

Premium Member

Re: Yay

Viable is the key. We already have the Blackberry OS, Windows Phone, & the (now-dead?) Symbian in addition to iOS and Android. Competition does drive innovation, but it can also drive fragmentation.

morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000

1 recommendation

morbo

Member

Re: Yay

Blackberry OS will be gone. Symbian is basically gone.

Windows Phone is a nice competitor, albeit small. Competitors will allow new features and improvements to enter the mobile ecosystem.

OnlyV
@apexcovantage.com

OnlyV

Anon

.

Good for cross-platform development
xenophon
join:2007-09-17

xenophon

Member

Is it the new dumbphone?

I could see a new generation of dumbphones for people who just want email and web browsing. Is this the new model for dumbphones?

badrouter11
@bellsouth.net

badrouter11

Anon

seabirds

Hey does this mean at some point the mozilla seabird will become a reality?

El Quintron
Cancel Culture Ambassador
Premium Member
join:2008-04-28
Tronna

El Quintron

Premium Member

Everyone gets a crack

They have a mobile OS and they have hardware partners, I don't see why they shouldn't do this.

Realistically, I'd buy one just to check it out, and if Mozilla's track record is any indicator these will become polished products in time.

ARGONAUT
Have a nice day.
Premium Member
join:2006-01-24
New Albany, IN

1 edit

ARGONAUT

Premium Member

Carriers probably won't update FFOS.

This IS why android has security issues.
»www.androidpolice.com/20 ··· d-below/

Carriers don't want to update their phones. They just want you to buy a newer phone with a new plan.

Vchat20
Landing is the REAL challenge
Premium Member
join:2003-09-16
Columbus, OH

Vchat20

Premium Member

Re: Carriers probably won't update FFOS.

Taking the chart into account there, given 60+% are on 2.3.3-2.3.7, I'd say it isn't as bad as it is made out to be. 3.x was made strictly for tablets and 4.x is still fairly new and for hardware requirements won't see the large majority of existing phones. Sadly Motorola is leaving out a TON of perfectly capable phones (such as the D3) from getting ICS, but that is the beauty of loading your own roms so people actually CAN stay up to date if the manufacturers are too lazy to. Even if the bootloader is locked, as long as it can be rooted you can load your own rom. Only catch is you can't update the kernel or radio so if the security leak is there, all bets are off until an official update. But I'd bet most of the time it is in the overlying OS and not the kernel or radio.

And FWIW, it is usually not the carrier dictating updates unless it is a carrier exclusive phone. Rather the manufacturer does the updates in most phones in the Android platform.

anon11
@178.45.215.x

anon11

Anon

laggy

looks laggy