Even most recent version of KaiOS still runs on ancient Linux kernel 3.10.49 (2014) with Firefox 48.0a (2016). Not only lacking in features, but in security updates too.
With updated Gecko engine and proper PWA support KaiOS might have a chance to compete with other mobile operating systems.
And if somehow this new engine will be released as open source, other projects, like postmarketOS, might be able to use it too.
KaiOS Technologies and Mozilla partner to enhance Gecko engine for KaiOS
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Re: KaiOS Technologies and Mozilla partner to enhance Gecko engine for KaiOS
#12Even most recent version of KaiOS still runs on ancient Linux kernel 3.10.49 (2014) with Firefox 48.0a (2016). Not only lacking in features, but in security updates too. With updated Gecko engine and proper PWA support KaiOS might have a chance to compete with other mobile operating systems. And if somehow this new engine will be released as open source, other projects, like postmarketOS, might be able to use it too.
That explains why I was unable to find any secure way to store keys or sensitive data in their API[0] docs.
Which means user authentication apps will not come any time soon, like Authy (Authenticators), Bitwarden (Password Managers) or BankID (Swedish) (Identity Verifiers).
Re: KaiOS Technologies and Mozilla partner to enhance Gecko engine for KaiOS
#13Please, KaiOS -- make a high end phone and hit the market that Mozilla never did with FFOS -- wealthy developers who want a platform completely unburdened with apple or google. I'm not sure what's actually interesting about this partnership, it seems obvious, but one thing I think is a huge problem is that they're mentioning Gecko so much -- they should be trying to move to Servo as fast as possible. There is already…
Why does it have to be a web-browser-based platform?
I've bought a ZTE Open[0] back when FFOS was made since i am in general a fan of Mozilla (despite their missteps now and then) since before Firefox was a thing. The phone was a disaster - applications were very slow, everything was sluggish and in some cases i lost calls because the UI had frozen due to swapping or whatever it was doing.
Now, you might say that it was a low end device, but here is the thing. Years before that i had a Nokia 6600 [1] which has literally less than 10% of the resources ZTE Open has, yet it was able to run multiple applications without a breeze (it was the first time i ran an IRC client on a phone) and even had several 3D games (which, imagine that, used software rendering despite the phone's limited CPU power).
(and of course there were PalmOS devices that were running on even weaker hardware yet they provided UIs so responsive that put even the fastest Android to shame -- but i have very limited exposure to those to judge properly)
Nokia 6600 puts in perspective how awful Android is nowadays, let alone FFOS that couldn't even manage to remain literally usable with more than ten times the resources.
Re: KaiOS Technologies and Mozilla partner to enhance Gecko engine for KaiOS
#14For those who don't know, KaiOS is a closed-source proprietary fork of Mozilla's abandoned FirefoxOS for mobile devices. It's become extremely popular for low-end feature phones in the developing world. https://www.androidauthority.com/kaios-phone-review-979286/
Not sure about closed source part: https://github.com/kaiostech
Unless I’m missing something, none of KaiOS’s UI is there. I see Gecko, the kernel, some hardware enablement bits, and sample apps.
Re: KaiOS Technologies and Mozilla partner to enhance Gecko engine for KaiOS
#15It seems that if you want your app to be available on the KaiOS app store, your app must have ads, and must use KaiOS' platform for those ads:
"Currently, we are prioritizing apps for QA that use KaiAds for monetization. Visit the KaiAds website to learn more.
After you have integrated KaiAds, go through this checklist."
Re: KaiOS Technologies and Mozilla partner to enhance Gecko engine for KaiOS
#16Even most recent version of KaiOS still runs on ancient Linux kernel 3.10.49 (2014) with Firefox 48.0a (2016). Not only lacking in features, but in security updates too. With updated Gecko engine and proper PWA support KaiOS might have a chance to compete with other mobile operating systems. And if somehow this new engine will be released as open source, other projects, like postmarketOS, might be able to use it too.
That explains why I was unable to find any secure way to store keys or sensitive data in their API[0] docs. Which means user authentication apps will not come any time soon, like Authy (Authenticators), Bitwarden (Password Managers) or BankID (Swedish) (Identity Verifiers). [0] https://developer.kaiostech.com/api
Yeah, until they can get their act together on the security side this has no chance to become as widely used like androidOS/iOS. For some places this is less important than others. But as countries seem to be looking into digital-only currency this will become more and more of a problem.
Re: KaiOS Technologies and Mozilla partner to enhance Gecko engine for KaiOS
#17Youtuber 'TechAltar' made a video[1] on March 11 giving his perspective on this. While I wouldn't normally link to a YouTube video in this context, KaiOS Technologies specifically reached out to TechAltar to provide him with details so he could cover the story. It's likely that one of the reasons KaiOS decided to reach out was because of his July 2018 video[2] covering KaiOS, which has over a million views. [1] https…
His videos actually got me into operating systems, from his covering of more obscure alternatives to his videos on previous attempts that failed.
Re: KaiOS Technologies and Mozilla partner to enhance Gecko engine for KaiOS
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not sure about closed source part: https://github.com/kaiostech
Unless I’m missing something, none of KaiOS’s UI is there. I see Gecko, the kernel, some hardware enablement bits, and sample apps.
it's partially open source, so you don't get the stuff you mentioned.
Re: KaiOS Technologies and Mozilla partner to enhance Gecko engine for KaiOS
#19Even most recent version of KaiOS still runs on ancient Linux kernel 3.10.49 (2014) with Firefox 48.0a (2016). Not only lacking in features, but in security updates too. With updated Gecko engine and proper PWA support KaiOS might have a chance to compete with other mobile operating systems. And if somehow this new engine will be released as open source, other projects, like postmarketOS, might be able to use it too.
I could understand version 45 (somewhat) as it was ESR. FF48 came out around the same time that Mozilla dropped support. My assumption is that KaiOS hasn't really poured many resources into that part of the OS. An update to the kernel and moving to Firefox 68 ESR seems like an amazing upgrade for users.
I can't imagine Mozilla putting in the resources without also open-sourcing all the things.
Re: KaiOS Technologies and Mozilla partner to enhance Gecko engine for KaiOS
#20It seems that if you want your app to be available on the KaiOS app store, your app must have ads, and must use KaiOS' platform for those ads: "Currently, we are prioritizing apps for QA that use KaiAds for monetization. Visit the KaiAds website to learn more. After you have integrated KaiAds, go through this checklist."
They can't really sell the OS, so that makes sense for everyone as devs can offer the app for free too.
I wonder if there's a way to pay to opt out of their ads though...