See our post on The Mozilla Blog for more details.

Initial devices from Alcatel One Touch, LG and ZTE; Huawei to follow

Barcelona, Spain – Mobile World Congress – February 24, 2013; 18:05 PM CET – Mozilla today previewed the first commercial build of its Firefox OS open mobile ecosystem and announced new operator rollout plans at a press conference before the start of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The first wave of Firefox OS devices will be available to consumers in Brazil, Colombia, Hungary, Mexico, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Spain and Venezuela. Additional markets will be announced soon.

To date, 17 key operators spanning the globe have committed to the open web device initiative:  América Móvil, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, Hutchison Three Group, KDDI, KT, MegaFon, Qtel, SingTel, Smart, Sprint, Telecom Italia Group, Telefónica, Telenor, TMN and VimpelCom. Telstra is welcoming the Mozilla initiative as an opportunity to deliver an innovative mobile Web experience to their customers. The breadth of operators now backing Mozilla’s Firefox OS demonstrates significant industry support for a fully-adaptable, unconstrained mobile platform.

Firefox OS smartphones are the first built entirely to open Web standards, enabling every feature to be developed as an HTML5 application. Web apps access every underlying capability of the device, bypassing the typical hindrances of HTML5 on mobile to deliver substantial performance. The platform’s flexibility allows carriers to easily tailor the interface and develop localized services that match the unique needs of their customer base.

Mozilla is working with manufacturers Alcatel (TCL), LG and ZTE to build the first Firefox OS devices, with Huawei to follow later in the year, all powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon™ mobile processors. In addition, Mozilla has signed strategic relationships with key content and service partners (see separate release). Consumers will get a dynamic, rich and open smartphone experience that provides easy access to everything they love on the Web, including Facebook and Twitter integration, with a simple, fast interface and built-in cost controls.

“Firefox OS brings the freedom and unbounded innovation of the open Web to mobile users everywhere,” said Gary Kovacs, CEO, Mozilla. “With the support of our vibrant community and dedicated partners, our goal is to level the playing field and usher in an explosion of content and services that will meet the diverse needs of the next two billion people online.”

Initial, “first wave” launch plans were announced by América Móvil, Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica and Telenor, most seeing starts mid-year.  More information on the rollout plans for individual operators is included below.

América Móvil

“América Móvil supports the launch of the new operating system by Mozilla since it represents an excellent alternative to its customers, especially in emerging markets. An open platform based on Web standards provides a favorable ecosystem for the development of innumerable applications,” said Marco Quatorze, CMO of América Móvil.  “The company is committed to launch Firefox OS phones in Mexico and all possible markets during 2013.”

Deutsche Telekom

“Partnerships are an important method in paving the way for innovations. We rely on open platforms because we want to create freedom of choice on behalf of our customers,” said René Obermann, Chairman of the Board of Deutsche Telekom at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. “That’s why we support Mozilla in developing an innovative and open standard for mobile terminals. The launch of the first smartphone in Europe with the new Firefox operating system is an important step on the way to more competition between the different ecosystems.”

Etisalat

Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, Chief Executive Officer at the Etisalat Group said: “We are happy to be part of this innovation and to support Mozilla in the launch of this new operating system. Firefox OS smartphones will make a valuable addition to our portfolio and grant our customers a rich and personalized experience. We welcome this development and congratulate Mozilla on their progress.”

Hutchison Three Group

“Hutchison Three Group is supportive of the Mozilla initiative to provide an open approach to services for operators and to provide devices for entry-level smartphone users at a more affordable price,” said Christian Salbaing, Deputy Chairman of Hutchison Whampoa Europe. “We believe the introduction of Firefox to mobile devices will increase competition in operating systems, improve consumer choice and hopefully lower overall device costs, bringing smartphones and advanced services within the reach of more of our customers.”

KDDI

“We are pleased to announce the introduction of Firefox OS smartphones into the Japan market in one or two years’ time,” said Takashi Tanaka, CEO of KDDI. “It is expected to provide better experience and diverse choice to our customers, since an open standard Web platform will bring sustainable innovation and fair competition to its ecosystem. The idea totally fits to our strategy. To support the achievement of it, KDDI group is working closely with Mozilla for the sake of contribution to Firefox OS development, especially on network and security parts.”

KT

Dr. Suk-Chae Lee, CEO of KT, stated that “with the transformation of existing network to All-IP, all kinds of information and services such as voice, data, and media will be provided through the All-IP network. Firefox OS includes HTML5, which enables much easier and simpler support for All-IP based services via multiple devices and platforms. KT fully supports the Firefox OS initiative which will accelerate the distribution of virtual goods – the future growth engine of our global economy.”

 MegaFon

“We see a positive sign for the whole industry when it comes to a new player guided by the principles of openness, cross-platform possibility and supported by market players,” said Vitaly Starodubov, COO of MegaLabs.

SingTel

Paul O’Sullivan, CEO Group Consumer, SingTel, said: “SingTel is a firm believer in giving our customers choice and encouraging innovation and so are excited about the capabilities that can arise from an open mobile ecosystem using HTML5.“

Smart

Orlando B. Vea, Chief Wireless Advisor of Smart said, “We’re excited to see Firefox OS in the market because this will help bridge the digital divide. Its HTML5-based technology will make available affordable mobile devices with an open mobile ecosystem. This is aligned with our inclusive vision of putting mobile Internet in the hands of every customer.”

Sprint

“Sprint supports an open mobile ecosystem that enables freedom and creativity for developers,” said Fared Adib, senior vice president, product development and operations for Sprint.  “Firefox OS provides a new level of flexibility for developers to create innovative apps our customers can enjoy.”

Telefónica

“2013 marks the start of a new phase in our industry, one that will be characterized by open standards,” said Cesar Alierta, Chairman & CEO of Telefónica. “For Telefónica and the telco sector as a whole, Firefox OS is a hugely important strategic initiative to change the prevailing value chain in the digital world. It is a major step to bring balance back to the telco sector, an initiative with strong cross-industry support. I am very pleased that our customers in Brazil, Colombia, Spain and Venezuela will be amongst the first in the world to experience Firefox OS and I look forward to making it available to all Telefónica customers globally.”

Telenor

“Telenor is pleased to partner with Mozilla and other major players in developing the Firefox mobile operating system. Through this initiative we aim to provide an even larger part of our customers with more choice and a great mobile Internet experience, as well as help connect the next billions of customers to the Web,” said Telenor CEO Jon Fredrik Baksaas.

TMN

“TMN is constantly searching for the best available options in the market, continuously focusing on future proof bets, which can provide new ways to achieve higher customer satisfaction and seamless integration of services. TMN´s association with Mozilla to launch the new Firefox OS is of great importance to the Portuguese telecom market, as it increases the number of platforms, user interfaces and ecosystems available to mobile equipment users,” said Luís Avelar, CMO from Portugal Telecom Group.

VimpelCom

“The majority of our customers live in emerging markets and their demand for mobile Internet access and OTT applications is rapidly accelerating,” said Jo Lunder, CEO of Vimpelcom. “At VimpelCom we want to drive seamless integration between OTT and our core mobile services. We support the development of open standards and it is only natural that we support the development of the Firefox OS – one of the most economical alternative smartphone operating systems.”

Qualcomm

“Qualcomm has been working closely with Mozilla to optimize Firefox OS to our Snapdragon processors,” said Cristiano Amon, Executive Vice President, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Co-President, Qualcomm Mobile and Computing.  “This tight integration of software and hardware has allowed us to provide a rich HTML5 Web experience never seen before on a mobile device.”

New Firefox OS Branding
Mozilla also unveiled its new Firefox OS consumer identity and brand marketing campaign at the Mobile World Congress press conference. The new branding “unleashes the Fox” to illustrate the qualities of Firefox OS: fun and friendly; supportive and protective; fast and powerful.

Research Analyst

“The impressive lineup of operators who have now pledged to distribute Firefox OS devices speaks clearly and powerfully to the platform’s potential and points to 2013 being a breakout year for Mozilla in the mobile domain,” said John Jackson, Research Vice President for IDC. “The diversity of operator support, spanning both developed and emerging markets, is a powerful endorsement of the platform’s capabilities and to the third party innovation the platform will attract and enable. With these operator commitments, as well as clear progress with device manufacturers and content providers, Mozilla also directly addresses the twin challenges of scaling distribution and offering third parties a clear path to revenue. Both of which are critical to attracting and sustaining developers’ allegiance.”

More Information

Please visit Mozilla and experience Firefox OS in Hall 8.1, stand F20, at the Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain from February 25-28, 2013.

For additional resources, such as high-resolution Firefox OS images, b-roll video and links to stand-alone operator and OEM releases visit: https://blog.mozilla.org/press.

###

About Mozilla
Mozilla has been a pioneer and advocate for the Web for more than a decade. We create and promote open standards that enable innovation and advance the Web as a platform for all. Today, hundreds of millions of people worldwide use Mozilla

Firefox to discover, experience and connect to the Web on computers, tablets and mobile phones. For more information please visit https://www.mozilla.org/mwc.

About América Móvil

América Móvil is the leading provider of integrated telecommunications services in Latin America.  At the end of September 2012, the company had 255.9 million wireless subscribers, 30.3 million landlines, 16.7 million broadband accesses and 15.8 million Pay TV clients.

About Deutsche Telekom

Deutsche Telekom is one of the world’s leading integrated telecommunications companies with more than 131 million mobile customers, 33 million fixed-network lines and over 17 million broadband lines (as of September 30, 2012). The Group provides fixed-network, mobile communications, Internet and IPTV products and services for consumers, and ICT solutions for business and corporate customers. Deutsche Telekom is present in some 50 countries and has over 230,000 employees worldwide. The Group generated revenue of EUR 58.7 billion in the 2011 financial year – over half of it outside Germany (as of December 31, 2011).

About Etisalat

Strong commitment to excellence and innovation has seen Etisalat become one of the world’s fastest-growing telecom groups, rapidly expanding across Asia and Africa. Its UAE operations, strategically located at the crossroads of East and West, enables Etisalat to be the major hub in the Middle East for Internet, voice, broadcast, roaming and corporate data services. Etisalat has been recognized as ‘Best Operator’ 10 times since 2006 and ‘Best Wholesale Provider’ four times in the last three years. Servicing over 139 million customers in 15 countries Etisalat continues to reach out to new customers and markets.

Please visit Etisalat at Mobile World Congress in Hall 2, Stand  #2B110.

About KDDI Corporation

KDDI, as a comprehensive communications company offering both fixed-line and mobile communications services, strives to be a leading company during changing times.

For individual customers, KDDI offers its mobile communications (au mobile phone) and fixed-line communications (broadband Internet/telephone) services under the brand name “”au”", helping to realize FMBC (Fixed Mobile and Broadcasting Convergence). And for business clients, KDDI provides all services in the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) realm, from FMC (Fixed Mobile Convergence) networks to data centers, applications, and security strategies, to help clients strengthen their businesses.

About KT Corporation

KT Corporation (NYSE: KTC) is Korea’s top full-fledged telecommunication operator providing wireless, fixed line, broadband and IPTV. KT has been Korea’s leader in the development of the information & communications industry for the last 31 years and has helped turn Korea into an IT powerhouse. KT was the world’s first to commercially launch wireless broadband service (WiBro), KT is paving the way for U (Ubiquitous)-Korea with ubiquitous infrastructure through which people can share information wherever they are. KT also launched “LTE WARP”, based on the world-first CCC (cloud communication center) virtualization and offers voice calls and data at a fast speed with stable quality.

To learn more, please visit http://www.kt.com/eng/main.jsp

To see KT’s future http://www.ollehfutureon.com/index-e.php

About MegaFon

MegaFon is a Russian universal telecommunication service provider. Established in May 2002, MegaFon became the first operator with a network covering all regions of Russia. The Company and its subsidiaries have licenses to operate in all of the Russian regions and in the Republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Tajikistan. With over 63 million active subscribers, MegaFon manages the most sophisticated and technologically advanced digital and fixed line network in the country.  http://www.megafon.com

About SingTel

SingTel is Asia’s leading communications group with operations and investments around the world. Serving both the corporate and consumer markets, it is committed to bringing the best global communications solutions to customers in the Asia Pacific and beyond.

With significant operations in Singapore and Australia (through wholly-owned subsidiary SingTel Optus), the Group provides a comprehensive portfolio of services that includes voice and data solutions over fixed, wireless and Internet platforms, as well as infocomm technology and pay TV.

The Group has presence in Asia and Africa with 473 million mobile customers in 26 countries, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand.

To serve the needs of multi-national corporations, SingTel also has a vast network of offices throughout Asia Pacific, Europe and the United States. These offices enable SingTel to deliver reliable and quality network solutions to its customers, either on its own or jointly with local partners.

SingTel employs more than 23,000 people worldwide and had a turnover of S$18.83 billion (US$14.97 billion) and net profit after tax of S$3.99 billion (US$3.17 billion) for the year ended 31 March 2012.  More information can be found at www.singtel.com and www.optus.com.au.

About Smart

Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is the Philippines’ leading wireless services provider with 52.1 million subscribers on its GSM network as of end-September 2012.  Smart has built a reputation for innovation, having introduced world-first wireless offerings such as Smart Money, Smart Load, Smart Padala, the Netphone, and Smart LTE—the world’s first multi-band LTE service. Smart also offers 3G and HSPA+ services, while its satellite service, Smart Link, provides communications to the global maritime industry. Smart Broadband, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary, offers a wireless broadband service, Smart Broadband, with 1.69 million subscribers as of end-September 2012.  Smart is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Philippines’ leading telecommunications carrier, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company. For more information, visit smart.com.ph.

About Telefónica

Telefónica is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world in terms of market capitalization and number of customers. From this outstanding position in the industry, and with its mobile, fixed and broadband businesses as the key drivers of its growth, Telefónica has focused its strategy on becoming a leading company in the digital world.

The company has a significant presence in 25 countries and a customer base that amounts close to 314 million accesses around the world. Telefónica has a strong presence in Spain, Europe and Latin America, where the company focuses an important part of its growth strategy.

Telefónica is a 100% listed company, with more than 1.5 million direct shareholders. Its share capital currently comprises 4.563.996.485 ordinary shares traded on the Spanish Stock Market (Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia) and on those in London, New York, Lima, and Buenos Aires.

About Telenor Group

Telenor Group is an international provider of tele, data and media communication services. Telenor Group has mobile operations in 11 markets in the Nordic region, Central and Eastern Europe and in Asia, as well as a voting stake of 42.95 per cent (economic stake 35.7 per cent) in VimpelCom Ltd., operating in 18 markets. Headquartered in Norway, Telenor Group is one of the world’s major mobile operators with 148 million mobile subscriptions in its consolidated operations per Q4 2012, revenues in 2012 of NOK 102 billion, and a workforce of approximately 30,000. For more information about Telenor Group, please visit www.telenor.com.

About TMN

TMN is a subsidiary of the Portugal Telecom Group and the leading mobile telecommunications provider in Portugal, with more than 7.3 million customers. Investing in the ongoing diversification of solutions tailored to individual and professional needs, TMN makes technological innovation and orientation towards the client drive its overall activity, supported by constant investments to strengthen the network coverage and the quality of service. TMN has a history of leading the mobile market in Portugal with attractive, advanced services. In 1995, TMN was the first company in the world to introduce a pre-paid service with top-up facilities, using a model that was later adopted by operators around the globe. Always focused on customer satisfaction, TMN and Portugal Telecom aim excellence by continuous introduction of state-of-the-art technologies and services, such as LTE (4G networks) and real Quad-Play propositions.

For more information, please visit www.telecom.pt.

About VimpelCom

VimpelCom is one of the world’s largest integrated telecommunications services operators providing voice and data services through a range of traditional and broadband mobile and fixed technologies in Russia, Italy, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Laos, Algeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Central African Republic and Canada. VimpelCom’s operations around the globe cover territory with a total population of approximately 780 million people. VimpelCom provides services under the “Beeline”, “Kyivstar”, “djuice”, “Wind”, “Infostrada” “Mobilink”, “Leo”, “banglalink”, “Telecel”, and “Djezzy” brands. As of September 30, 2012 VimpelCom had 212 million mobile subscribers on a combined basis. VimpelCom is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol (VIP). For more information visit: http://www.vimpelcom.com.

Media Inquiries:

Mozilla Communications
Email: press@mozilla.com

https://blog.mozilla.org/press/

Barcelona, Spain – Mobile World Congress – Feb. 24, 2013 – Mozilla, the mission-based organization dedicated to keeping the power of the Web in people’s hands, today announced Firefox OS will launch with Firefox Marketplace, and a new ability to discover one-time use and downloadable apps to give people a powerful, personalized, speedy and enjoyable smartphone experience while also enabling easy creation, distribution and discovery of HTML5 apps worldwide.

Firefox OS

Firefox OS will power the world’s first Open Web Devices in key emerging markets and offer the performance, personalization and price you want in a smartphone. Firefox OS delivers a beautiful, clean, intuitive, personalized and easy-to-use experience that has built-in features to help manage data and storage usage while maximizing your value, time and overall enjoyment of the smartphone experience.

Firefox OS includes all the things people need from a smartphone out of the box – calls, messaging, email, camera and more – as well as the things you wish a smartphone offered, like built-in cost controls, social features with Facebook and Twitter, location-based services, much-loved features like the Firefox Web browser, new ability to discover one-time use and downloadable apps, Firefox Marketplace and much more.

“Every device is better if it’s social and we’re excited that Firefox OS users will have easy access to the mobile Web-based version of Facebook that will take advantage of our current and future features,” said Vaughan Smith, VP of Mobile Partnerships at Facebook.

With Firefox OS, you can simply enter any search term and instantly create a one-time use or downloadable app. Creating and consuming these apps on demand puts users in complete control of their app and smartphone experience and will make it possible for people to get the exact content they want, when they want it.

Firefox OS offers a deep contextual search that will take you to the exact content you want instead of just generic apps in the same category. It will allow far more sophisticated and deeper search capabilities as you can search both within apps and on the Web at the same time, which is not possible with native apps. For example, search for your favorite music artist and get results to buy your favorite song, concert tickets or even listen to your favorite song instantly.

Firefox OS is an extension of the Firefox experience you know and love so you can expect all the security, privacy, customization and user control Firefox has always delivered.

Because Firefox OS is based on Web technologies it offers users, developers and operators a highly customizable smartphone experience and even has offline capabilities for all the phone’s core functionalities.

Firefox Marketplace

Firefox Marketplace will offer apps in categories like games, news and media, business and productivity. These apps are tied to you and your online identity to take across devices and platforms. Leading mobile apps and Web developers around the globe will leverage the power of the Web unlocked by Mozilla to release apps in the Firefox Marketplace.

The Web enables limitless innovation and with Firefox Marketplace, every Web developer can easily create and distribute HTML5 apps so you can find an app for whatever you want – even local, niche and emerging topics. Firefox Marketplace will include popular apps such as AccuWeather, Airbnb, Box, Cut the Rope, Disney Mobile Games, EA games, Facebook, Nokia HERE, MTV Brasil, Pulse News, SoundCloud, SporTV, Terra, Time Out and Twitter as well as personally-tailored and local apps that are relevant to users in their respective regions.

“Firefox OS provides us with a great opportunity to reach new consumers in emerging markets,” said Glenn Roland, VP of New Platforms and OEM at EA. “We’re pleased to bring HTML5 versions of top games including Poppit! from Pogo, as well as several popular mobile titles to the cross-platform Firefox Marketplace this year.”

“Bringing such popular titles as Where’s My Water? and Where’s My Perry? to the Firefox Marketplace is a great opportunity to increase our network of players in developing markets,” said Bart Decrem, SVP of Disney Mobile Games. “Having worked with Mozilla in the past, I’m especially enthusiastic about the potential of Firefox OS.”
“Firefox OS enables the new MTV Brasil app to give people access to all of the news, video and multimedia content developed for mobile devices, including shows that are currently on air,” said Robson Gomes, MTV Brasil Technology Manager. “Firefox OS makes it easier to give people the content they want and this is another important tool to access MTV Brasil’s universe of humor, music and lifestyle.”

Most mobile apps are built with Web technologies at the core and then wrapped in a proprietary technology to distribute the app on a specific platform. Mozilla is unlocking the Web as a mobile development platform with Firefox Marketplace and unwrapping mobile apps to enable more opportunity and control for developers and consumers.

Firefox Marketplace will make smartphones capable of offering more powerful and immersive Web app experiences. The Web now has the potential to be the world’s largest marketplace with the new Web APIs Mozilla developed. The open Web platform and these new Web APIs also enable developers to distribute apps directly, with no need for gatekeepers, true to the Mozilla mission of creating choice, innovation and opportunity on the Web.

“Firefox OS will break down the walls between apps and the Web because Firefox OS apps are built using Web technologies, like HTML5. We expect to see lots of amazing apps people love built for Firefox OS because more developers are already creating for the Web than for any other platform,” said Jay Sullivan, Mozilla Senior Vice President of Products. “Firefox OS delivers a rich, delightful and personalized experience for users and people can search for anything that is on their mind to discover relevant apps that can be used instantly, even apps they’ve never installed or used before.”

Firefox Marketplace can be previewed on Firefox for Android Aurora and will be offered with the first Firefox OS phones to launch later this year.

About Mozilla
Mozilla has been a pioneer and advocate for the Web for more than a decade. We create and promote open standards that enable innovation and advance the Web as a platform for all. Today, hundreds of millions of people worldwide use Mozilla

Firefox to discover, experience and connect to the Web on computers, tablets and mobile phones. For more information please visit https://www.mozilla.org/mwc.

On desktop, we found our mojo again. We streamlined and we upgraded. Our performance and memory teams did incredible work. We shipped a stellar array of new tools for Web  developers. We passed 3 billion Firefox Add-on downloads and we shipped in 89 languages. And with our recent introduction of the Social API and Facebook Messenger integration, we’re evolving at the speed of the Web. The Firefox of today is significantly better than the Firefox of a year ago in every way, and we’re seeing that recognized in our formal feedback channels, and in comments from strangers when they see a Firefox t-shirt.

On Android, we listened to our users. We rebuilt Firefox from the ground up, and we delivered something really excellent. The performance of the browser is incredible and we didn’t sacrifice any of the power of the engine to do it. In fact, we’ve expanded our reach by optimizing our performance to run on lower-powered ARMv6 devices as well. Our users are telling us we got this one  right, with week over week ratings in the Google Play Store that are best in class.

The excitement around Firefox OS is palpable, and the distance we’ve come in a year is extraordinary. Together with our partners, the Firefox OS team is building the world’s first Open Web Device, and along the way  we’ve introduced nearly 30 new Web APIs to bring the power of mobile apps to the open Web.

Finally, we’ve strengthened our voice as advocates for user sovereignty and champions of the Web.  More than 19% of Firefox for Android users, and 8% of desktop users have enabled Do Not Track, proving to the world that there is a real user appetite for choice on issues of Web privacy. Our blackout campaign to oppose US SOPA legislation reached over 30 million people and we regularly work with standards, regulatory and legislative groups to represent user needs and Mozilla values. We also empowered and activated the citizens of the Web with projects like WebMaker, hosting events which have attracted thousands of attendees in over 80 countries.

The path for 2013 is clear, but it won’t be easy. We need to deliver on the momentum we’ve built. Our browsers need to keep maturing and evolving  as our users do, with features like the Social API expanding the concept  of what a browser can be. For Firefox OS, 2013 will be the year when the world can see and hold and try a real device powered only by the  power of the Web  and, for many, it will be the first smartphone they’ve ever been able to  afford. To do this work will require every Mozillian to find a dozen more. We will need to mobilize the masses – developers, engineers, students, artists, entrepreneurs – to make and build the world that we want based on this amazing, open, transparent, powerful and humbling thing we call the Web.

Imagine the Web as an open gaming platform for the world. Where game players seamlessly become game creators. Where your favorite games work on any device, anytime, anywhere. And where your own personal web-based creations earn you internet fame, fortune and the adulation of gamers around the world.

Sound like fun? Game on.

The Game On Competition wants YOU

Today, we’re proud to invite game designers, developers and enthusiasts everywhere to take part in this year’s Game On competition. We’re looking for your ideas and playable protoypes for gaming experiences that push the limits of what open Web technologies can do.

All are welcome to submit their entries now at gameon.mozilla.org. The deadline is Feb 24, 2013.

Red carpet treatment for you and your game

Participants can enter in three different competition categories. Winners chosen by our esteemed panel of judges will receive prizes that include:

• An all-expense paid, red carpet trip to San Francisco for GDC 2013.
• The chance to have your game featured in the Firefox Marketplace
• The opportunity to show your game to the awesome folks at Chillingo for potential publishing on their network
• One year membership to top industry associations IGDA and UKIE
• Promotion of your game in the Game On Gallery and across Mozilla networks
• Plus special edition Mozilla swag

Re-imagine the web as the console

Imagine games you could hack and remix to make even better — with open Web building blocks like HTML, CSS and Javascript serving as the world’s ultimate “level editor.” (Want to replace that zombie’s face with a picture of your dog? Go right ahead.)

“What if we looked at games as open, creative systems that, like the Web itself, are hackable by design?” says Mozilla’s Chloe Varelidi.

“Games are traditionally at the forefront of tech, continually pushing the envelope of what’s possible,” she says. “Mozilla is inviting you to re-imagine the Web as the console, and use the power of the browser to revolutionize the way we make and play games.”

Game jam at the Mozilla Festival in November

Get involved

• Submit your game. All are welcome to enter now. Deadline for submissions is Feb 24.
• Join a game jam. We’re kicking things off with simultaneous game jams in New York and London this weekend, with more events coming soon.
• Host your own jam. Our handy event kits make it easy.
• Learn more. About the competition rules, prizes and judges.
  
• Stay in touch. Follow us on Twitter and the Game On blog. Or join the conversation through our mailing list or on irc.mozilla.org #mozgames.

Stefan Hechenberger and Addie Wagenknecht, Toby Schachman and Forrest Oliphant

Today, Mozilla and the Eyebeam Art + Technology Center are pleased to announce the recipients of the first-ever Open(Art) Fellowships. Together, these creative technologists will be exploring the frontier of art and the open web as part of our new Open(Art) program.

Pushing the boundaries of creative code

Supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Open(Art) initiative is all about supporting projects that facilitate artistic expression and learning on the open web, using code to enable cutting-edge art, media and hardware production.

Over the next six months, the fellows will create open source tools and works that enable creative production and open participation. They’ll document their progress online, seek to grow communities of artists, developers and users around their projects, and publish their resulting code under an open license.

And the fellows are…

The 2013 Open(Art) fellows are:

Forrest Oliphant: Meemoo

Meemoo brings the power of app development to everyone. It’s an HTML5 data flow programming environment with an emphasis on realtime audio-visual manipulation. Using an intuitive visual interface that lets users connect modules together using colorful “wires,” Meemoo lets anyone remix and build their own creative apps right in the browser.

“I often see kids playing with touch screen apps that only do what the developer designs it to do,” Forrest says. “I want to blur that line between developer and user, and allow more people to create different kinds of media.”

Meemoo

Toby Schachman: Pixel Shaders

Pixel Shaders is an interactive book, platform and community focused on harnessing the graphics processor (GPU) for artistic purposes. It aims to make GPU programming accessible to artists in the same way that tools like Processing made CPU programming more accessible to digital creators.

Toby wants to get people thinking about programming in a new way. “This is one of the key areas where the artistic community can contribute to the computer science communities,” he says.

Nortd Labs (Addie Wagenknecht and Stefan Hechenberger) — Bomfu

Bomfu is a collaborative web repository for open hardware projects. It aims to increase the ease of use and quality for the “bill of materials” or “BOM,” a list of the raw materials required to build a finished product. The goal: open up new and more complex forms of open hardware creation.

“Making all of the tools better pushes up what can be built,” says Addie and Stefan. “The better the tools are, the more complex the projects.”

These three projects will be awarded a production budget and resources to develop their work. Eyebeam will also host workshops and public events at its New York City location to support their process, and Mozilla is inviting our global community to get involved.

Get involved

• Sign up for updates. Get updates on the projects from the Open(Art) email list.
• Watch the videos. Watch Forrest Oliphant, Toby Schachman and Addie Wagenknecht and Stefan Hechenberger explain the vision and thinking behind their projects.
• Learn more. There’s more details on the Eyebeam web site.

Firefox is the Web browser of choice for hundreds of millions of people worldwide and as social sites have become a key part of people’s online lives, we want to make it easier to use the Web the way you want. People visit social sites throughout the day to chat with friends and get real time updates about new activity. In fact, most people online visit social sites to account for about 20% of all time spent online worldwide.

We experimented with new and better ways to integrate social into your Web experience and are excited to launch our first social integration with Facebook Messenger for Firefox! You can read more about our work with the Facebook team in this post.

To get started, just upgrade to the latest Firefox and then visit the Facebook Messenger for Firefox page and click “Turn On.” You can watch this video to see how it works.

Once you enable the feature, you’ll get a social sidebar with your Facebook chat and updates, like new comments and photo tags. You’ll also get notifications for messages, friend requests and more that you can respond to right from your Firefox toolbar.

Facebook Messenger for Firefox lets you chat with friends and stay connected with their updates wherever you go on the Web, without needing to switch between or open a new tab. You can chat with your friends and family while doing anything from shopping online for the perfect gift, cheering your team on in the big game, watching a video or just surfing the Web. Of course, if you’re not feeling social, you can easily hide the sidebar or even disable the feature.

Today’s Facebook integration is just the start of making Firefox more social. We’ll soon add support for more features and multiple providers.

Mozilla is a non-profit organization with a mission to promote openness, innovation and opportunity on the Web and we can’t wait to see what cool Web experiences developers will build on our Social API. We want to build a social standard for the Web to give developers more opportunities and users more choice, much like we did with our work on OpenSearch. Imagine using the Firefox sidebar, toolbar buttons and even an AwesomeBar button for news, music, finances, email, group projects and more.

In ITU’s words, “This landmark conference will review the current International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs), which serve as the binding global treaty designed to facilitate international interconnection and interoperability of information and communication services, as well as ensuring their efficiency and widespread public usefulness and availability.”

Mozilla lauds the professed aims of the conference. But we question the very assumption that a “binding global treaty,” enacted by member states alone, will be beneficial for the Internet or for global society. The Internet needed no treaty to come into existence, to expand, to flourish, and to transform global society. The Internet needed no convocation of governments to facilitate the professed aims of the new treaty. There is no reason to believe that a treaty will fill any current need or cure any current defect.

To the contrary, there are reasons to believe that such a treaty, instead, would be detrimental. Key aspects appear to point to increases in government control beyond the existing rule of law. Technology does not blossom by government control. Put simply, governments do not know best how to design the future. Moreover, there are legitimate concerns that some governments most interested in a new treaty may aim to limit free expression and personal freedoms, to control political activities, and to violate the security of their own citizens. Oddly, in the name of harmonization and interoperability, some of the very attributes of the open Internet that we value the most — open access, unrestricted connectivity and sharing, content neutrality, and user choice — could be compromised.

Key questions have also not been addressed, among them: What’s the value proposition for users and the Internet as a whole for ITU governance of the Internet? What does the ITU propose to fix that will benefit the Internet and its global users? What are the risks and costs of such regulation? Do the benefits outweigh the costs? Is the ITU the best organization for this task?

Treaties have many useful purposes. But to the extent that they obligate governments to adhere to fixed ideas, approaches, and standards that reflect government interests over user interest, they can discourage innovation and jeopardize the Internet as a vital public resource. We see that as a real risk when it comes to regulation of the Internet.

There are also substantial concerns about the process by which this meeting is occurring. Obscurity has cloaked the upcoming meeting, much of the process leading up to it, and most of the preparatory documents. The process appears to cater to only the most powerful interests. The Internet has enjoyed a multi-stakeholder governance process throughout its history. It is not easy to reconcile all the different technological, commercial, political, and personal interests that assert themselves in that process. But we believe open, inclusive, and transparent processes, messy as they are, are better than closed, government-directed processes when it comes to the Internet.

As robust and resilient as the Internet may be, it is still an information ecosystem that is inherently fragile. It is sensitive to external regulatory forces that can distort its very nature. For these reasons, we stand with those who believe that the risks of harming the Internet far outweigh the benefits that could come from any closed-door governmental treaty-making process. Instead, efforts of this kind must consist of broad based, open, transparent multi-stakeholder processes that include, in addition to governments, users, producers, service providers, civil society, and the host of ecosystem players who make the Internet what it is.

If you’re interested in getting involved, we’ve made available a kit of tools and resources to support people in making their voices heard at the ITU.

Adopting such rules may be bad for users and the web. If snippets and headlines require license fees, the ability to locate information may be curtailed as search engines could (and likely will) simply remove the publishers from their index – an approach Google has already taken in Belgium. If this happens, locating the news becomes more difficult. Imposition of license fees in this context may also reduce competition by making it more difficult for new entrants who cannot pay such fees, and unintentionally favoring well-funded players who can pay.

We believe that the Web brings the world together through the flow of information, ideas and creativity. Search engines, in their purest form, foster this information flow allowing people to connect with information and news that may be worlds away from them. Impediments to this information flow, be they commercial, political or even legal, restrict the real benefits the Web has to offer.

The Bill is on its way to Parliament on November 29th, 2012. For more information about the Bill go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancillary_copyright .