No Takers for $25 Firefox OS Smartphone

I find this hard to believe!

Mozilla has pulled the plug on its low-end $25 Firefox OS Linux-based smartphone on the ground that the phone had few takers.

So is everyone in the world, including dirt-poor Africans and Asians, hankering only for a $800 fancy iPhone or the latest Samsung Galaxy S6 Android device.

Mozilla’s CEO Chris Beard said in an e-mail to his staff:

We will reconsider the ultra-low-cost smartphone program (e.g. Tarako) We have not seen sufficient traction for a $25 phone, and we will not pursue all parts of the program. We will focus on efforts that provide a better user experience, rather than focusing on cost alone.

Launched in 2013, the Firefox OS had few vendors or app developers supporting it.

Going forward, Mozilla plans to focus its mobile phone efforts on a new Ignite initiative that seeks to build bridges with Google’s Android platform by exploring app compatibility.

Given the resources and momentum of iOS and Android, it’ll require a Herculean effort before a third viable mobile platform can emerge.