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Firefox OS, Mozilla’s mobile operating system that runs Web-based apps, is headed to Japan.
Mozilla, best known for its Firefox Web browser, has partnered with Japanese carrier KDDI to launch the Firefox OS-based Fx0 phone in Japan, the companies announced on Tuesday.
The handset will go on sale on Thursday in Japan. Pricing was not announced.
Mozilla launched Firefox OS in 2013 to provide a low-cost alternative to Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. Including the Fx0, there are now 16 Firefox OS-based smartphones available in 29 countries around the world. A key component in Firefox OS is that it relies heavily on the Web to deliver the software experience to users.
So far, Firefox OS has been designed for emerging markets and customers who would want a simple handset for a cheap price. The Fx0, however, is being pitched as the “first high-spec Firefox OS smartphone” by both Mozilla and KDDI.
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The smartphone was developed by LG and comes with a 4.7-inch screen and a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor. It’s the first Firefox OS phone to run on 4G LTE networks. The Fx0 will launch with 16GB of onboard storage and includes near-field communication. The phone can handle nearly nine hours of call time on a single battery charge, according to KDDI.
Mozilla declined to provide additional comment on the announcement.
