Mozilla Will Stop Developing and Selling Firefox OS Smartphones

#1

Post by kevining » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 7:10 PM UTC

Mozilla Will Stop Developing and Selling Firefox OS Smartphones
techcrunch.com

Re: Mozilla Will Stop Developing and Selling Firefox OS Smartphones

#2

Post by kevining » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 7:13 PM UTC

Mozilla is shifting to use their web platform for connected devices and IoT efforts. The IoT space is a mess right now and I think that Mozilla could do a lot of good there.

I think that Firefox OS as a phone operating system will always be available for hackers to port and install on their own devices.

Re: Mozilla Will Stop Developing and Selling Firefox OS Smartphones

#3

Post by niij » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 7:49 PM UTC

Could have seen that being a flop from outer space.

Re: Mozilla Will Stop Developing and Selling Firefox OS Smartphones

#4

Post by binarymax » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 7:49 PM UTC

kevining wrote: post #2

Mozilla is shifting to use their web platform for connected devices and IoT efforts. The IoT space is a mess right now and I think that Mozilla could do a lot of good there. I think that Firefox OS as a phone operating system will always be available for hackers to port and install on their own devices.

I was curious and found this for anyone else who may be interested: https://wiki.mozilla.org/FlyWeb

Re: Mozilla Will Stop Developing and Selling Firefox OS Smartphones

#5

Post by ris » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 7:53 PM UTC

kevining wrote: post #2

Mozilla is shifting to use their web platform for connected devices and IoT efforts. The IoT space is a mess right now and I think that Mozilla could do a lot of good there. I think that Firefox OS as a phone operating system will always be available for hackers to port and install on their own devices.

"The IoT space is a mess right now"

But is also almost entirely vapour.

Seeing this news gave me relief that Mozilla might be pulling their heads out of the clouds chasing fantastical dreams of mobile platforms, but if anything IoT is worse!

Re: Mozilla Will Stop Developing and Selling Firefox OS Smartphones

#6

Post by Apocryphon » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 7:54 PM UTC

Guess it's up to Canonical to make Ubuntu Touch a viable open source smartphone OS - are there even devices running it that are being sold in the U.S.?

Did not expect that Sailfish OS would outlive Firefox OS.

Re: Mozilla Will Stop Developing and Selling Firefox OS Smartphones

#7

Post by vdnkh » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 7:57 PM UTC

ris wrote: post #5

kevining wrote: post #2

Mozilla is shifting to use their web platform for connected devices and IoT efforts. The IoT space is a mess right now and I think that Mozilla could do a lot of good there. I think that Firefox OS as a phone operating system will always be available for hackers to port and install on their own devices.

"The IoT space is a mess right now" But is also almost entirely vapour. Seeing this news gave me relief that Mozilla might be pulling their heads out of the clouds chasing fantastical dreams of mobile platforms, but if anything IoT is worse!

>almost entirely vapour

I work for an M2M company whose been around for 25 years now, in some form or another. M2M is the backbone of IoT and while it isn't as glamorous, it's a large space. Industrial gases, especially helium, are very lucrative right now.

Re: Mozilla Will Stop Developing and Selling Firefox OS Smartphones

#8

Post by draw_down » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 7:57 PM UTC

I hope they can figure out something to keep them afloat. Mozilla seems directionless lately.

Re: Mozilla Will Stop Developing and Selling Firefox OS Smartphones

#9

Post by gkoberger » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 7:59 PM UTC

Firefox appeared at a time when there was huge potential being stifled by a stagnant monopoly in the space, and people were desperate for something good. It filled a real need, and people loved it.

FirefoxOS appeared at a time when there was huge potential being actively being pushed forward and innovated on by the two largest tech companies in the space, and people already had two great options to choose from. It filled no real need, and nobody wanted it.

For Mozilla to stay alive, they need to pick a space that is currently desperately needed but being ignored by large corporations and the government: privacy and identity. Mozilla could be the champion of the Snowden era, yet instead they're distracting themselves with IoT, VR and other shiny new toys.

(And yes, I realize that users don't care about privacy. But nobody cared about web standards, either: it's all about packaging. That's Mozilla's strength.)

Mozilla is a non-profit with a mission (https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/manifesto/). It's time they start acting like one again.

Re: Mozilla Will Stop Developing and Selling Firefox OS Smartphones

#10

Post by binarymax » Tue, Dec 08, 2015, 7:59 PM UTC

ris wrote: post #5

kevining wrote: post #2

Mozilla is shifting to use their web platform for connected devices and IoT efforts. The IoT space is a mess right now and I think that Mozilla could do a lot of good there. I think that Firefox OS as a phone operating system will always be available for hackers to port and install on their own devices.

"The IoT space is a mess right now" But is also almost entirely vapour. Seeing this news gave me relief that Mozilla might be pulling their heads out of the clouds chasing fantastical dreams of mobile platforms, but if anything IoT is worse!

IoT is better for R&D now, because its going to happen (if not through a nice clean adoption but rather through sheer force of will).

Mobile was already mature with a well entrenched duopoly when FFOS began. IoT is still up for grabs.