Mozilla Eyes Africa With Firefox OS

Mozilla, the organisation behind the Firefox Web browser, has revealed plans to expand its new Firefox OS smartphone operating system to Africa...

The Mozilla Foundation, the organisation behind the Firefox Web browser and the latest smartphone operating system, Firefox OS, recently announced plans to expand Firefox OS to Africa through Airtel, MTN South Africa and Tigo, operated by Millicom.  These operators will introduce the first Firefox OS-powered smartphones to the continent.

Firefox OS, is the first device platform to be built entirely on open Web standards. Every feature is developed as an HTML5 application and, according to Mozilla vice-president for planning and ecosystems Rick Fant, the software was created to be another option for feature phone users in emerging markets, allowing them to upgrade to a smartphone without paying the price that many smartphones retail for today.  The first commercial Firefox OS smartphone, ZTE Open, was launched in Spain in July last year.

“The Web is very good at delivering content in local markets,” Fant tells TechCentral. “Every African country I know of has a vibrant Web market and we want to teach those local Web providers that they don’t have to go through the control points that exist in the other ecosystems.”  Firefox OS has an app store, but users don’t need to install apps to access third-party services. The operating system was developed for the Web, meaning users can just use a Web app or a Web service directly. “It’s all about showing how the power of the Web can go mobile.”...