Mozilla is coming up with a new phone that can give difficult time to all smartphone biggies. Mozilla has unveiled a new phone powered by the Mozilla Firefox OS that will come at a very affordable price point. The developer of the Firefox web browser, has tied up with handset makers Intex and Spice to bring smartphones priced at $25 (Rs.1,500) to India in the next few months.
Mozilla will work with the Chinese chipset manufacturer Spreadtrum, to develop the chipsets which will cost low and let the handset manufacturers to keep the price of the Smartphone cheap. This upcoming $25 Firefox OS smartphone will get its power from a Spreadtrum SC6821 processor, while flaunting a 3.5-inch HVGA screen, Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth, FM radio and a camera on the back. In depth specifications aren’t revealed yet.
“With a $25 price tag, there is no price gap between a smartphone and a feature phone. This attractive price point would help motivate feature phone users to switch to smartphones,” said Gong Li, The Chief Operating Officer of Mozilla.
This Low cost Firefox OS based smartphone will have no effect on Android market, but surely will affect feature phone market in India, since 90% of mobile subscribers still in possession of a feature phone which they are more likely to upgrade. This handset is for those who find it difficult to get an entry ticket to smartphone world because of costly devices. With this handset a user can install apps, load Web pages, search your contacts, and send e-mail typed with an on-screen keyboard, listen to music in the background while you are still busy working on your email, pinch and zoom in on images.
Mozilla expects to sell around 10 million Firefox powered smartphones in next 12 months. It will be interesting to watch out for the effect of $25 smartphone on the life-span of feature phones.
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