Mozilla, Foxconn Confirm Firefox OS Partnership

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Mozilla, Foxconn Confirm Firefox OS Partnership

Posted by samzenpus on Monday June 3, 2013 @10:03AM from the teaming-up dept.

hypnosec writes "Mozilla has confirmed reports that indicated a probable collaboration with Foxconn for development of Firefox OS based devices. Announcing the 'wide ranging partnership' with Foxconn, Mozilla's SVP of Mobile Devices noted in a blog post that collaboration between the two companies 'demonstrates the full potential of Firefox OS,' and it would not only enable the smartphone 'but also a wide range of mobile devices.'"

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Wow that was surprising. by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 10:06 · Score: 0, Insightful

Company wants to manufacture hardware for cheap. Goes to Foxconn, just like all the crappy generic hardware vendors.
Not news.
It would be news if it was anyone other than big manufacturer Foxconn.
1. Re:Wow that was surprising. by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 10:19 · Score: 1
  
  Here ya go.
  http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/30/motorola-plans-to-make-smartphone-in-texas/
2. Re:Wow that was surprising. by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 10:22 · Score: 0
  
  Foxconn hates producing products for Apple, is actively seeking other partners.
  That's news.
3. Re:Wow that was surprising. by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 10:34 · Score: 0
  
  Foxconn hates producing products for Apple, is actively seeking other partners.
  That's news.
  Except Foxconn has never said that nor is this announcement saying they are going to stop being an Apple manufacturer. Nice try, though, Fandroid.
4. Re:Wow that was surprising. by Intrepid+imaginaut · 2013-06-03 11:02 · Score: 1
  
  Yup, paper never refused ink.
5. Re:Wow that was surprising. by MrEricSir · 2013-06-03 11:25 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Foxconn hates producing products for Apple, is actively seeking other partners.
  Foxconn's customer list includes HP, Dell, Acer... pretty much every major computer company in the world. But don't let facts get in the way of your blind consumerism!
  
  --
  There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
6. Re:Wow that was surprising. by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 11:38 · Score: 0
  
  Read some supply chain news outside of the US. It's all about vendors like Samsung, Foxconn etc trying to distance themselves from Apple.
7. Re:Wow that was surprising. by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 11:57 · Score: 1
  
  You see, the problem with Apple users is that they consider anything less than a glowing endorsement of Apple and its products as spewing hate. The reality is Apple produces merely mediocre products at high prices, using a sealed box/proprietary connector approach to mooch even more money on top.
Browser/OS by SJHillman · 2013-06-03 10:24 · Score: 2, Interesting

I suppose this means that Opera is that now the only one of the Big Five browsers that doesn't also have an OS (or several)
1. Re:Browser/OS by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 11:51 · Score: 0
  
  what's that got to do with this story?
2. Re:Browser/OS by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 12:07 · Score: 0
  
  Heh. Opera has so much built in functionality that it practically is an OS. Of course that's going to change once the new severely crippled, Blink powered Opera comes out.
3. Re:Browser/OS by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 14:12 · Score: 0
  
  Opera, lynx and wget are in a tight race for that fifth spot!
4. Re:Browser/OS by Cyko_01 · 2013-06-03 15:37 · Score: 1
  
  the webkit version has already stripped out the email client
5. Re:Browser/OS by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 17:16 · Score: 1
  
  It has a lot more stripped than just that. From my fairly cursory look at the latest Opera Next, these are the things I have found missing.
  
  No email/RSS client
  No IRC client
  No Torrent client
  No bookmarks
  No keyword search
  No custom UI element placements
  No sidebar
  No notes
  No contacts
  No download manager sidebar (as opposed to a space wasting, full screen download manager)
  No skins (I realise it has themes, but they are drastically cut back from what could be done before)
  
  Aside from the Torrent client, I use every single one of those functions every day. New Opera sucks.
6. Re:Browser/OS by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 17:18 · Score: 0
  
  I missed a couple:
  No tab stacking
  No private tabs
7. Re:Browser/OS by drinkypoo · 2013-06-03 22:51 · Score: 1
  
  Opera is now Chrome with a crappier interface. It's dead, Jim.
  
  --
  "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
8. Re:Browser/OS by citizenr · 2013-06-03 23:04 · Score: 1
  
  It wasnt stripped out of anything. Opera abandoned their own codebase, took Chromium and slapped their own skin over it.
  Opera is no more. Opera today means Chromium skin.
  
  --
  Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
9. Re:Browser/OS by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-04 23:46 · Score: 0
  
  You know what he meant. Stop being an annoying little shit and shut the fuck up.
deep inside foxconn by decora · 2013-06-03 10:25 · Score: 5, Funny

ming- dude so which line are you on?
chen- Im on Iphone again.
ming- Man that sucks...
chen- Yeah... which line are you on?
ming- Im on this new thing, Firebear or something
chen- Firefox?
ming- Yeah thats it... firefox
chen- That's awesome dude!
ming- What do you mean?
chen- Look. Iphone. That's Apple. They are nut jobs. Remember when that guy got tortured for losing a prototype and he killed himself?
ming- I do, I do. But ain't every tech company like that? Obsessed with security? I mean, iphone, blackberry, samsung, its all the same shit.
chen- No man, no. Firefox is this thing called 'open source'. they don't care if you lose a prototype - they give away their prototype designs for free.
ming- Ahhh sounds like a bunch of hippie bullshit to me. How can they make money? its Bs. they are gonna be just as secretive as apple. watch. some body is going to kill themselves on the firebear line just like every other line.
chen- Look man. All I'm saying is. Id rather be on your line than on my line.
ming- Well, I'd rather be with my girlfriend back home.
chen- So would I
ming- Shut the fuck up
wackenhut security guard: Back to work!!!!
1. Re:deep inside foxconn by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 10:36 · Score: 0
  
  This isn't funny; it's sad.
2. Re:deep inside foxconn by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 10:47 · Score: 0
  
  This will be even more funny when chen and ming "accidentally" mix up the flashloads of the two devices...
3. Re:deep inside foxconn by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 12:11 · Score: 0
  
  It's stereotyping and racist.
  
  Of course it would have to be written by an untraveled, uncultured, uneducated 'Murrican. I guess he's finished shooting guns and drinking moonshine for the day.
4. Re:deep inside foxconn by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 13:31 · Score: 0
  
  It's stereotyping and racist.
  They speak Murrican and use all the US mannerisms, so where's the stereotyping? You don't think it's a real portrayal do you? It's entirely made up, and hence funny as hell. And it's only racist if the race in question is Murricans, which isn't even a race.
  One thing that stands out is that the spelling and grammar is superior to common use by youth back home. That may be the only sad part.
5. Re:deep inside foxconn by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 14:13 · Score: 0
  
  I'm Chinese, born in Guangdong (a village near Shenzen no less), family moved to the US when I was entering high school some 20 years ago. I find it funny, lighten up with the PC crap.
6. Re:deep inside foxconn by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 17:22 · Score: 0
  
  That's cause you don't associate with this social group no more. :P
7. Re:deep inside foxconn by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 19:38 · Score: 0
  
  Making them sound American is insulting enough to be racist.
FireFoxconn by Spy+Handler · 2013-06-03 10:32 · Score: 2

they can name their new joint venture FireFoxconn
1. Re:FireFoxconn by HtR · 2013-06-03 10:40 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Word is they want to expand into content, maybe with a built-in RSS feed of headlines from a news organization.
  Too bad there's no real news company with a similar name.
  
  --
  Have you tried turning it off and on again?
Who is the market? by guanxi · 2013-06-03 10:33 · Score: 3, Interesting

Who is the market for Firefox OS? Current smartphone users? People who can't afford high-power equipment (e.g., in developing economies)?
I love the idea of an FOSS mobile device OS designed for end-user control, but I'm not sure if Mozilla is designing it for my needs, or how they plan to get market share.
1. Re:Who is the market? by Spy+Handler · 2013-06-03 10:39 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  people who like to compile their own software from source code... that is their target market.
  Apple has 40% of the market, Android has 50%, Blackberry+Windows Phone+Symbian has 9%, so they are going after the remaining 1%.
2. Re:Who is the market? by commodore73 · 2013-06-03 10:58 · Score: 1
  
  China is probably the target market, as they don't want Apple or Google to control everything.
3. Re: Who is the market? by Belial6 · 2013-06-03 11:02 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  If the OS runs half way decent, I could see lots of sales in business environments where the device isn't really a phone and the device is issued for use during the employees shift only. Think restaurants, retail, warehouses, etc. Of course, that is only the case if it has an end cost less than Android.
4. Re:Who is the market? by VortexCortex · 2013-06-03 11:07 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  people who like to compile their own software from source code... that is their target market.
  There are two models, ones lower powered, ones higher end. So, what about folks who want to use the same app on their desktop as on their phone? It's HTML5. That means THE EXACT SAME development time I put in to make that web app, or HTML5 game can be leveraged both on the web, and with little or no effort (a manifest file and zipped directory) I can sell that app for Firefox OS -- Remove the damn ads. (Because you chuckle heads won't pay for an app available through a browser, but put the same code in an app store, all of a sudden 99 cents isn't a bad price for no ads... grr). Here's the interesting thing. My HTML5 apps / games have tools built in HTML5. That means my engine dev kit can be used ON THE PHONE. That means you can use your mobile device TO MAKE MONEY by creating apps that your can use on the moble OR on the Desktop.
  Look at iOS, Android, Blackberry....... What's the one thing a PC can do that these devices can not do? MAKE SOFTWARE. "compile their own source code" -- You Fool! How do you think you're able to render this page, hu?! YOU COMPLIED AND RAN THE SOURCE CODE.
5. Re:Who is the market? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 11:31 · Score: 0
  
  Beyond that, the hardware requirements are incredibly light. This inexpensive hardware can now be sold to users in developing nations, creating a new market for smart phones. OP asked about making a phone to suit his needs, but the target market is not him. Most people trying to understand FFOS take this same, narrow-minded perspective.
6. Re:Who is the market? by Lennie · 2013-06-03 11:41 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  You actually have it wrong.
  There are over 6 billion phone users in the world and only 1 billion smartphone users.
  There is a lot more markets that smartphones can expend to.
  That is why Mozilla and their partners are talking about markets like Brazil and India.
  
  --
  New things are always on the horizon
7. Re:Who is the market? by JanneM · 2013-06-03 13:09 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Here's my possible use-case for it:
  I have a Nexus 7. That's what I use for apps, email and games 95% of the time. It's light and portable, the screen is large enough to see clearly with my middle-aged eyes, and I can at least write shorter emails and stuff on it.
  My Android phone, on the other hand, is mostly for receiving notifications, reading the occasional message and, now and again, making phone calls. It also acts as my tether for the N7 when I don't have other connectivity. Very occasionally I can't bring the N7 for whatever reason, and then it temporarily doubles up as my primary device; I don't expect or want to use it for everything the N7 does, as it's too frustrating and painful.
  So what I would want is a companion phone. Reasonably small, so I can bring it everywhere I can't bring a tablet; and quite cheap (so I don't have to worry about dropping it or anything). It does _not_ have to do everything the N7 does. And in fact, all the critical things for me are already available as online web apps; I could live quite comfortably using only the browser interface for such a backup device even if there were no native apps at all.
  It would ideally be ~3.5-4", splash and impact resistant, largish battery, and be able to offer tethering with Wifi. Actual performance specs, memory and so on really is less important. to me.
  
  --
  Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
8. Re:Who is the market? by Karlt1 · 2013-06-03 13:53 · Score: 2
  
  Here's the interesting thing. My HTML5 apps / games have tools built in HTML5. That means my engine dev kit can be used ON THE PHONE.
  Apple 2007: You don't need native apps, you can do everything within the browser....
  Developers complain
  Apple 2008: Here is a native app store.
  -----
  Palm 2009: We have a great OS that you can write apps with by using your existing Web development skills
  Developers Complain
  Palm releases a native SDK
  ----
  RIM: We have this great OS that you can do all of your development using our HTML based APIs!
  Developers Complain
  RIM releases a native SDK
  
  That means you can use your mobile device TO MAKE MONEY by creating apps that your can use on the moble OR on the Desktop.
  Write once, run anywhere.....
  Where have I heard that before and how did that work out last time?
9. Re:Who is the market? by rtb61 · 2013-06-03 14:51 · Score: 2
  
  You can bet Foxcon will be exploring every possible avenue for a future beyond a declining iDevice. It would be supremely foolish of them to ride the iDevice to oblivion. So now compete with Android or jump in the highly competitive battlefield that is Android. Obviously Linux and Firefox are alternatives a way to differentiate yourself and a possible way to gain market share on things other than price. Foxcon want's to gain market share in notebooks, tablets and phones simultaneously, all with no real brand recognition, perhaps they can buy Nokia.
  
  --
  Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
10. Re:Who is the market? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 14:55 · Score: 0
  
  People who can't afford a pricey smartphone, basically. Third world and such. Of course that doesn't mean it won't run on better devices, and if it takes off they'll probably end up making devices for us "richer" folk.
11. Re:Who is the market? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 17:29 · Score: 0
  
  Get a Galaxy Note II. You could replace both your phone and tablet.
12. Re:Who is the market? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 20:28 · Score: 0
  
  People who like slugish browsers full of memory leaks and user interface customisation you never actually wanted, backed by a dev team that ignores what they're users want, trundles on anyway and then wonders why they lost a fuckton of marketshare?
13. Re:Who is the market? by JanneM · 2013-06-04 00:05 · Score: 1
  
  "Get a Galaxy Note II. You could replace both your phone and tablet."
  A reasonable choice for some people. But a Note is smaller than the N7, and still too large to bring in my pocket. I, personally, prefer a two-device solution over a single compromise.
  
  --
  Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
14. Re:Who is the market? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-04 03:02 · Score: 0
  
  Mozilla's reason for developing FirefoxOS is exactly the pattern you cite: every other mobile OS has gone the path of "web apps are enough", developers respond "your web app support sucks", and instead of fixing web apps, the OS developers add support for native apps. Mozilla wants that to stop because native apps are not cross-platform while HTML5 apps could be (FirefoxOS adds new APIs that other mobile OSes won't support, at least initially).
Johnny-come-latelies by ebno-10db · 2013-06-03 10:34 · Score: 4, Funny

EMACS was an OS before the web browser was even invented.
1. Re:Johnny-come-latelies by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 10:48 · Score: 0
  
  OK, where or how do I get an Emacs phone? Can Firefox or Android phones be configured to boot into Emacs?
2. Re:Johnny-come-latelies by ebno-10db · 2013-06-03 11:32 · Score: 1
  
  OK, where or how do I get an Emacs phone?
  You expect it to write itself? Brush up on your Lisp.
3. Re: Johnny-come-latelies by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 11:55 · Score: 1
  
  "OK, where or how do I get an Emacs phone?"
  "You expect it to write itself?"
  Actually... kinda... I mean if any piece of software's about to hit the singularity, I'd bet on Emacs!
4. Re: Johnny-come-latelies by ebno-10db · 2013-06-03 12:16 · Score: 1
  
  "OK, where or how do I get an Emacs phone?"
  "You expect it to write itself?"
  Actually... kinda... I mean if any piece of software's about to hit the singularity, I'd bet on Emacs!
  Arrgh, read the mailing list - that feature won't be available until V26! (though there is a reason it's written in an AI language).
5. Re:Johnny-come-latelies by crovira · 2013-06-03 17:16 · Score: 1
  
  "vi" is the thinking person's editor.
  
  --
  MSBPodcast.com The opinions expressed here are my own. If you don't like 'em... Think up your own stuff.
In other words... by Bill_the_Engineer · 2013-06-03 10:36 · Score: 2

Mozilla will purchase some computer devices from OEM supplier Foxconn, load Mozilla OS on them and make them available for resale.

--
These comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of my employer or colleagues...
1. Re:In other words... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 11:08 · Score: 0
  
  But Foxconn is teh Big Evilzzz(tm) or does that only apply when it's Apple's name at stake?
  
  In other words... fuck your apologist self.
2. Re:In other words... by rasmusbr · 2013-06-03 14:15 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Mozilla will purchase some computer devices from OEM supplier Foxconn, load Mozilla OS on them and make them available for resale.
  More likely the other way around: Foxconn, the much bigger of the two, will use Firefox OS as a stepping stone to learn how to make their own OS in an attempt to integrate more of the value chain into their company.
3. Re:In other words... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-04 00:54 · Score: 0
  
  Why have your own brand when you can make money making other people's stuff?
4. Re:In other words... by rasmusbr · 2013-06-04 06:14 · Score: 1
  
  The manufacturing business becomes less and less profitable over time as salaries for workers go up and as sales go down in high income market. Look at what happened to laptops for instance. That could happen to phones and tablets too. If you can make a product with your own OS and your own app store and music store and movie store etc, then you can make money even if people aren't buying new phones every 24 months.
  Of course, Foxconn is extremely unlikely to succeed in doing this, just like Samsung was (and perhaps still is). But they can try.
Ex-Google users are an open niche by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 11:13 · Score: 0

Who is the market for Firefox OS?
Users who want out of the Google trap are currently a very poorly served market niche. I don't know if this is a segment recognized by Mozilla, but I'll certainly give FirefoxOS a try if it can be loaded onto an existing device.
If that works out OK, I'd buy a FirefoxOS device too, but first they have to prove themselves on existing equipment, perhaps dual booting alongside Android.
It's not totally unfeasible that FirefoxOS might succeed. After all, they have the brand name recognition, and Mozilla has the community worldview to be a friendly player in this space. We'll see, but I'll root for them. Google is no longer worthy of community support.
Suicide by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 11:14 · Score: 0

Foxconn is famous for suicide
And with Mozilla linking up with Foxconn, would Mozilla-based devices have a tendency to be suicidal ?
1. Re:Suicide by partyguerrilla · 2013-06-04 00:16 · Score: 1
  
  They will make your RAM commit suicide.
Smartphone surcharge by tepples · 2013-06-03 13:08 · Score: 3, Informative

There are over 6 billion phone users in the world and only 1 billion smartphone users.
The 5 billion other phone users include dumbphone users and land line users.
To get people to upgrade from dumbphones to smartphones, Mozilla is going to have to get past the fact that carrying a dumbphone and a small Wi-Fi-only tablet costs substantially less per month than carrying a smartphone. At least in my country, CDMA2000 carriers won't activate a smartphone without a data plan, and the larger of the two GSM carriers is known for cramming a data plan onto any voice-only SIM put into a device with a smartphone IMEI.
To get householders to upgrade from land lines to smartphones, you're going to have to get the price of a "family plan" down near the price of one land line phone shared by the whole household. In my country, magicJack provides home VoIP service for less than $3 per month to households that have always-on Internet through any provider.
Me Chinese, Me play joke, Me put zilla in yo phone by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 17:16 · Score: 0

Mozilla plus Foxconn: Harnessing the power of Mozilla's bloated rendering stack to the underpowered, overpriced hardware from Apple's manufacturer. Screams winner to me.
Snark aside, I do find it intriguing as I am disgusted with the behavior of most mobile device manufacturers and Mozilla has proved more trustworthy. Also, Gecko is getting faster even though the browser is turning into its own operating system with all of the UI removed (WTF Mozilla!?) for simplicities sake.
Is obvious troll still a troll... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-03 17:30 · Score: 0

... If he's accurate?
Everyone's missing the most interesting part! by caspy7 · 2013-06-03 17:51 · Score: 3, Interesting

Dr. Li Gong, SVP of Mobile Devices, President of Asia Operations, and CEO of Mozilla Taiwan (cited in the press announcement) also posted on his blog about the partnership. https://blog.mozilla.org/ligong/2013/06/03/foxconn-joins-the-firefox-os-eco-system/
This line in particular stuck out to me.

Foxconn stated that they intend to have FFOS running on all categories of the “8 screen” devices, from smartphone to tablets to laptops to TVs and outdoor signage.

Laptops, TVs and outdoor signage? Ambitious plans.
My dream: by sabbede · 2013-06-03 23:53 · Score: 0

I want this partnership to be big. Huge big. Earth shatteringly massively big. Why? Because I want it to go down in massively big flames. So massively big that it lands on the first page of the New York Post. I love a funy headline.
it's a Kahaannn! Conn by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-04 01:04 · Score: 0

someone had to say it..