Mozilla has unveiled new operating system (OS) to take on Google, Apple and others.

The maker of Firefox Web browser, used to surf the Internet, announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that in July it will come out with its new operating system that will power applications such as email on mobile phones and tablet computers.

This operating system is set to debut globally and Mozilla has announced tie ups with 18 mobile operator and devices made by LG, ZTE, Huawei and Alcatel.

The Firefox OS will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset and will debut with Spanish cellular service provider Telefonica, followed by America Movil SAB, a telecom company owned by billionaire Carlos Slim.

Industry watchers feel that Firefox OS, which will be not run on proprietary mobile operating system, thereby enabling collaboration amongst the whole ecosystem from device makers to software developers.

This would further throw open the market where players such as Apple’s iOS, BlackBerry and Microsoft-Nokia are trying to catch up with Android.

With Google’s Android dominating about 75 per cent market share, according to IDC numbers, the industry is looking at alternatives to counter this domination, since it erodes the pricing power of all the stakeholders.

According to Tony Cripps, principal device analyst at Ovum, Firefox’s OS has translated an industry to get into a commitment from carriers and hardware vendors.

Further, the neutrality that comes with Firefox will enable telecom operators to control the market better in the light of Google’s dominance, according to analysts. However, in its ‘Beta’ version, software developers found the OS to have coding errors in the computer program and were slow when compared to competition.

“These issues need to be fixed before going to market,” said an analyst on condition of anonymity.

> venkatesh.ganesh@thehindu.co.in

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