The inaugural Mozilla Firefox OS smartphone launched in India on Monday and it only costs $33. Dubbed the Cloud FX, the device is the result of a partnership between Mozilla and handset company Intex Technologies.
Mozilla announced at this year’s Mobile Asia Expo that it was bringing the Cloud FX to Indian and Indonesian markets. However, the introduction of cheaper smartphones to India was first teased at the Mobile World Congress in February.
“With the launch of Intex Cloud FX, we aim to enable the masses to get smartphone experience at the cost of a feature phone,” Intex director of marketing Keshav Bensal said in a statement Monday.
The cost-effective model is intended to help accelerate India’s already-rapid rise to the top of the global smartphone market. India now has the the third-highest number of smartphone sales on the planet, according to a 2013 Canalys report, trailing only behind the U.S. and China.
Mozilla isn’t the only company interested in tapping the lower-end of India’s smartphone market. At Google I/O, Google announced its Android One Program that promises to bring a 4.5-inch screen, dual-SIM, FM-radio enabled Android device to India for less than $100.
“The positive consumer feedback from other markets tells us that people like the unique user experience and openness we’re building with Firefox OS,” Mozilla president Li Gong said in a statement. “Firefox OS smartphones in the ultra-low-cost category will redefine the entry-level smartphone and create strong momentum in Asia.”
The phone packs a 4GB memory capacity and Bluetooth. It also supports Hindi and Tamil, two commonly spoken languages in India.
Source Mashable
