Mozilla Firefox (Photo : Reuters)
Following the failure of $25 ultra-budget smartphone project, Mozilla is moving on to its next scheme - Ignite initiative, shifting its focus on high quality devices with compelling features, probably Android app support.
The company is likely abandoning the $25 smartphone, as there has not been sufficient traction. Mozilla is all set to change its strategy in the mobile landscape and develop Firefox OS smartphones for the highly demanding segment.
"We will build phones and connected devices that people want to buy because of the experience, not simply the price," Mozilla's Chief Executive Chris Beard wrote in an email to the company's committee members, as reported by CNet. "We will reconsider the ultra-low-cost smartphone program (e.g. Tarako). We have not seen sufficient traction for a $25 phone, and we will not pursue all parts of the program."
Mozilla's new revamped initiative - Ignite, yet-to-be officially made public, will probably have all the development efforts (IoT explorations, v3 platform work, Lightsaber, previous v2 feature work) consolidated into a core development program, with the focus on unlocking the full potential of Firefox OS.
Beard has noted that the company will also be exploring Android app compatibility, which is said to improve the adoption of Firefox OS platform in short term, according to Digital Trends. Mozilla believes that Android apps can easily bridge the gap between Firefox OS ecosystem readiness and user expectations.
According to Beard, the company expects to bring improved offline support with the new scheme, which is an important factor in the budget markets, along with focus on web apps and open software development.
