Knowledgeable cell phone users will question the statement that the Firefox’s OS is new, since it was first unveiled back in February 2012 as a Linux-based, open sourced mobile operating platform specifically aimed at smartphones. Until now it is only been available on a small and select number of OEM handsets, however the Firefox OS 2.5 Developer version allows users a preview of the OS via a newly developed application.
Android users can now experience the Firefox OS on their handsets without the need to flash a ROM on their devices, because the newly released version is installable as an application on Android platformed devices. The application can then run from their home screens as a launcher, which would temporarily replace the user’s home screen thereby replicating the Firefox OS allowing them to experience its interface and numerous additional features.
Additionally the app provides user access to the Firefox Marketplace with a can enjoy the full experience of downloading add-ons and apps. Another significant boon is the integrated Firefox Browser, well-known for its privacy protective features such as its capacity to provide tracking protection from advertisers and websites. Firefox Browser offers users the option to pin shortcuts to their favourite websites directly to their home screens, turning the pages into Web apps.
During testing the app proved to be marginally slower than its competition, however this is to be fully expected since the application is still in a preview phase. Another observation points to the fact that the app may currently focus on entry-level handsets with low resolution screens, this is evident from the overall bloated appearance of the interface and its icons that persisted even after numerous tweaks to the settings menu.
The fact remains that healthy competition is good for the industry with consumers enjoying the spoils of the competition between the industry giants, which at this point has been a two-way battle between Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. With the two alternative competitors, developing operating systems, namely Blackberry and Windows and their backing companies seemingly having bowed out of the competition.
Especially so since Blackberry have launched their new top end device with an Android OS, and Windows Mobile promised that this latest absolute pleasure and treasure of smart phone that the company recently released would probably be their last Windows-based smart phone unless this latest device makes significant inroads into gaining an improved position the mobile market.