Sony Mobile has announced at MWC 2013 in Barcelona, that it is hoping to release in 2014 a handset powered by the open source Firefox OS. The Japanese manufacturer said that it would be producing the model in cooperation with mobile carrier Telefonica, Already, there are versions of smartphones running on the Firefox OS produced by ZTE, Alcatel and Geeksphone, each of which were displayed on a video that accompanied an earlier story about the HTML5 based software. Each of those models have a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor under the hood. Other manufacturers that have expressed an interest in Firefox OS include LG and Huawei.
A ZTE branded handset running Firefox OS
According to Firefox CEO Gary Kovacs, the initial wave of smartphones running on Firefox OS will launch in Europe. The OS is expected to make its way on new phones invading the U.S. in 2014, according to Kovacs. A list of mobile operators planning on offering Firefox OS phones includes one U.S. carrier, Sprint. The complete list mentions America Movil, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, Hutchison Three Group, KDDI, KT, MegaFon, Qtel, SingTel, Smart, Sprint, Telecom Italia Group, Telefonica, Telenor, TMN and VimpelCom.
If Sony does produce a Firefox OS model, don't expect something along the lines of the Sony Xperia Z. The OS is being used in low to mid-range models, keeping the phones affordable for those in emerging markets.
"Our engineers are now working with Firefox OS Mobile and HTML5, evolving technologies which show great potential. In addition, we continue to work with our operator partners, including Telefónica, on a development project with an ambition to bring a product to market in 2014."-Bob Ishida, Sony Mobile Communications' Products Business Group
Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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