Firefox OS Phones Available for Developers

News
By Tomshardware
published

Geeksphone releases two new phones based on Firefox OS; lets developers build apps and edit OS.

A new rival has appeared for iOS, Android, BB10, S40, Windows Phone and Windows RT. If you are familiar with these, you might already have heard about Mozilla's new mobile operating system, Firefox OS.

Firefox OS is built on a Linux kernel and uses B2G (Boot to Gecko), meaning that apps developed on the phone can be entirely built on HTML(5), JavaScript and any other open source web application APIs. While still in development, two new phones based on the new OS have been released by a small Spanish company called Geeksphone. The phones are meant to be able to help developers into an environment where they can build on and experiment with apps, as well as the operating system itself.


The two phones are called Keon and Peak and have the following specifications:

Swipe to scroll horizontally
SpecificationKeonPeak
Price€110 ($143)€179 ($234)
Processor1GHz Qualcomm Cortex A51.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm 8225
RAM512 MB
Storage4 GB
Screen Size3.5 in.4.3 in. qHD IPS
Camera3 MP Back8 MP Back, 2 MP Front
SensorsTri-Band UMTS/HSPA, GPS, Proximity, accelerometer
Battery1580 mAh1800 mAh

Mozilla really needs these phones to make an impression, as it is the only way to effectively get its OS out to developers. Only a very basic emulated version is available for Android and is completely unavailable through any other mobile OS. Once finished, Mozilla expects the OS to spread to other companies such as ZTE, Alcatel, LG Electronics, Huawei and maybe even Sony. The operating system is expected to be released in the United States in 2014. It will be released in an attempt to provide alternatives to fully enclosed software environments such as Google Play and Apple App Store. What are your opinions on this latest addition to the OS market?

Tomshardware
Tomshardware

Tom's Hardware is the leading destination for hardcore computer enthusiasts. We cover everything from processors to 3D printers, single-board computers, SSDs and high-end gaming rigs, empowering readers to make the most of the tech they love, keep up on the latest developments and buy the right gear.

5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Truckinupga
    Although I am a big Firefox browser fan and it has always been my preferred browser, The new Firefox OS to my opinion is clearly not ready for prime time. I have seen better proprietary OS's that offered more, And from what I have seen of the upcoming Ubuntu mobile OS, There is a lot Firefox could learn from it.
    Reply
  • digiex
    Well, there are to many mobile OS already, but what the heck, if this will make smartphone cheaper and have more user control over their content, then so be it.
    Reply
  • caspy7
    10719756 said:
    Although I am a big Firefox browser fan and it has always been my preferred browser, The new Firefox OS to my opinion is clearly not ready for prime time. I have seen better proprietary OS's that offered more, And from what I have seen of the upcoming Ubuntu mobile OS, There is a lot Firefox could learn from it.
    Well, it is definitely still under construction. 1.0.1 and 1.1 are being developed atm. I suspect many release areas will never see the .0 release. By the time it reaches the US next year it'll probably be several updates in. Beyond being more polished it will run on better hardware. Am I saying it will be a smashing success? No, but it should be much better than its current state. I'm curious to see where it goes.
    Reply
  • CaedenV
    Unless your phone has a way to plug into a larger environment, there is not much of a future for it.
    Windows Phone and win8 are merging closer and closer with each release. Both are far from perfect, but they have a game plan and they are beginning to execute it.
    iOS and OSX are at an odd spot right now, but they will begin to merge as soon as Apple gets some leadership.
    Android and ChromeOS are now under the same umbrella and both will be undergoing some major unification changes over the next few years.
    Ubuntu is not yet released, but the video concept demos that I have seen of it are phenomenal, and should be what every smart phone OS should be looking to do.
    Meanwhile there is BB10 and Firefox OS. These are both perfectly fine OSs in their own right, but there is no future for them in a world where your phone becomes a key component of your larger technology experience.
    Reply
  • g-unit1111
    I pretty much use the Firefox browser exclusively, I'll never go back to Internet Explorer. I occasionally use Google Chrome for the foreign websites I visit. But it will be really interesting to see how Firefox stacks up to Android.
    Reply