Firefox OS Tablet Prototypes Enter Test Phase

Most people will immediately associate Mozilla with the popular Firefox web browser, but it does so much more than that. Firefox OS is the prime example, a new platform that’s already powering a few low cost smartphones. Mozilla has already said that Firefox OS smartphones aren’t going to be launched in the U.S. any time soon, that’s because it wants to focus on markets where saturation isn’t sky high. The buck doesn’t stop with low-end smartphones, Mozilla has created its very own Firefox OS tablet prototype and is conducting tests to see how its nascent platform performs on a different form factor.

Mozilla’s Firefox OS tablet prototype is built by Foxconn, and by no means is it a high-end tablet. Officially revealed specifications point towards a 10-inch 1,280×800 pixel resolution display, 1GHz quadcore processor, 2GB RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, microSD card slot, microUSB port, front and rear cameras apart from a 7,000mAh battery can all be found onboard. It would be unfair to compare this tablet against the likes of iPads or Nexus tablets, since that has never been Mozilla’s goal. It is approaching the emerging markets with a totally different direction as well as with a different platform. This obviously doesn’t mean that all Firefox OS tablets will be mid-range or low-end devices, its likely that the ones introduced in the West may have specifications to compete against the popular tablets. Though it can’t be said for sure if and when Mozilla decides to bring its tablets over, it still hasn’t decided to launch Firefox OS smartphones in the U.S.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Tablets
Tags: firefox os, foxconn, Mozilla