Not content with ruling the mobile operating system space under the guise of Android and the upcoming (and awesome) Ubuntu for Mobile, Linux has another trick up its sleeve with the impending release of Firefox OS, an operating system based on the popular browser.
The approach is not entirely brand new as the failed Palm (then HP) WebOS attempted to deliver web-based mobile services but couldn't get traction in an emerging market but Firefox already has a strong market presence and loyal user base familiar with its HTML5 code base. Cleverly their target market is not mature ones like North America or Europe but rather emerging ones where the web is still taking root and the smartphone is not the norm. By making the OS run well on less than cutting edge spec hardware and giving the software away, they are positioning their ecosystem to take a strong run at global popularity.
The first devices hit the shelves next week via the Spain-based Geeksphone and the hardware looks robust as well as colourful. There are certainly no quad-core processors on show here but do you really need it if the software runs smoothly? In addition the Firefox browser extension gives an attractive look at the UI before the launch and interface for app creators to test their design.
It will be interesting to see how Firefox OS is received by consumers but the Linux community is already embracing it and that can only help....competition in this space is good for us end users and I do hope it proves successful.
