Firefox OS TVs are here
The mobile landscape seems to be set for the near future. Android and iOS will continue to dominate, while Microsoft will hope to reach respectable market share with Windows 10 Mobile. While there are other hopeful operating systems in this segment, such as Ubuntu and Firefox OS, the odds are not in their favor. With that said, more options are better and I see potential in Mozilla's operating system.
Today, Mozilla announces the launch of new devices running Firefox OS, courtesy of Panasonic. Wait, is Panasonic releasing new smartphones? No. Actually, these are televisions running Firefox OS and they are available now. Whoa. A 4K TV that can run web apps? Sign me up!
"Panasonic Smart TVs powered by Firefox OS are optimized for HTML5 to provide strong performance of Web apps and come with a new intuitive and customizable user interface which allows quick access to favorite channels, apps, websites and content on other devices. Through Mozilla-pioneered WebAPIs, developers can leverage the flexibility of the Web to create customized and innovative apps and experiences across connected devices", says Mozilla.
Andreas Gal, Mozilla CTO says, "we're happy to partner with Panasonic to bring the first Smart TVs powered by Firefox OS to the world. With Firefox and Firefox OS powered devices, users can enjoy a custom and connected Web experience and take their favorite content (apps, videos, photos, websites) across devices without being locked into one proprietary ecosystem or brand".
Exciting stuff, folks. So, you are going to run out to Walmart this weekend and buy a Firefox OS TV, right? Slow down there, fellow nerds -- I have some bad news for you. While these TVs will launch worldwide in the future, they are exclusive to Europe for now. Patience, dear Americans.
If you are in Europe, below are the model numbers of the television sets.
- CR850
- CR730
- CX800
- CX750
- CX700
- CX680
Would you buy a TV powered by Firefox OS? Tell me in the comments.