Ultra Low Cost Mozilla Firefox Smartphones to Hit Budget Conscious India Soon

Mozilla has announced that it will be launching Firefox OS smartphones in India priced at $25 (INR 1,500) or 19 euros.

At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) earlier in the year, Mozilla had expressed the intent to launch low cost smartphones by partnering with various handset brands in emerging markets across the world, and also showcased a device running its Firefox OS.

The company had stuck a partnership with Spreadtrum, a Chinese fabless semiconductor company, to develop prototypes for its low cost devices.

In India, Firefox OS smartphones will be supplied by local handset brands Intex and Spice, and the handsets are expected to go on sale in the next couple of months.

With Firefox OS smartphones officially set to enter Indian shores, all eyes will be on these devices as they promise to offer a smartphone experience at a throwaway price.

Mozilla's Firefox smartphones can also be expected to create a furore in the crowded Indian smartphone market that is dominated by local players such as Micromax, Karbonn and Intex, apart from the likes of Samsung, ZTE and Apple.

With smartphone shipments in India having increased considerably in 2013 and expected to grow, Mozilla's ultra low cost Firefox devices can be expected to up the number of smartphone shipments significantly when Q3 2014 ends.

Currently, neither Mozilla nor the Indian handset brands have revealed the technical specifications of the Firefox OS handset.

However, the low cost device that Mozilla showcased way back at the MWC sported a 3.5 inch touchscreen along with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. High-end technical specifications cannot be expected in the Firefox OS smartphones as these are designed to be entry-level devices.

Mozilla has also partnered with ZTE to bring out the ZTE Open II that will be demonstrated in the ongoing Mobile Asia Expo. ZTE Open II is said to have a dual-core processor. The smartphone will be commercially available in Latin America shortly.

Ultra low-cost devices running Firefox OS will also hit Indonesian shores soon. Taiwan based Chunghwa Telecom has partnered with Mozilla to release entry level smartphones in the country.