Mozilla Launches £20 Firefox OS Smartphone In India

Firefox OS has arrived in India with the cheapest smartphone to run the open source operating system – a $33 (£20) device called Cloud FX.

The handset, with a 3.5-inch screen and a 1GHz processor, is made by Indian manufacture Intex Technologies. It is slightly more expensive than the $25 Mozilla promised at Mobile World Congress in June.

“The positive consumer feedback from other markets tells us that people like the unique user experience and openness we’re building with Firefox OS. With support from Intex, Firefox OS smartphones in the ultra-low-cost category will redefine the entry-level smartphone and create strong momentum in Asia,” said Li Gong, president of Mozilla.

Affordable

Announced in 2012, Firefox OS (previously known as Boot to Gecko) is an open source operating system for mobile devices, created entirely in HTML5. The OS features built-in social integration with Facebook and Twitter, HERE Maps with offline capabilities, and comes pre-installed with the Firefox Web browser.

Right from the start, Mozilla positioned Firefox OS as a low-cost platform for the developing world, and India currently presents a huge market for budget-friendly devices.

Developed with the final price tag in mind, Cloud FX is a throwback to the early days of smartphones. It’s a dual-SIM handset with a 320×480 pixel screen, 1GHz processor, 128MB of RAM and just 46MB of storage, although this can be expanded by another 4GB through an SDcard slot.

On the back, the device features a two megapixel camera, and in terms of connectivity, there’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but no GPS. Although the specifications are very basic, it is worth noting that Firefox OS is a lightweight system that requires fewer resources than its competitors, so the hardware should not be compared against the iPhone or Galaxy S5.

“With the launch of Intex Cloud FX, we aim to enable the masses to get smartphone experience at the cost of a feature phone,” said Keshav Bansal, director of marketing at Intex Technologies.

Intex Cloud FX is only available through Indian online retailer Snapdeal but, in time, some units are sure to surface on eBay.

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