ZTE Finds Firefox OS Faring Better In Emerging Markets Than The US

ZTE has found that smartphones with the Firefox OS are doing well in developing countries but not in the U.S., where the company is taking a multipronged mobile OS approach.  ZTE started selling its Open smartphones with Firefox OS in the U.S. and other countries last year, mostly through eBay. The devices are targeted at first-time smartphone users and have largely been priced under US$100. But ZTE’s latest Open C with Firefox, which went on sale in May, isn’t being sold by the company through its U.S. eBay site anymore.

“Firefox [OS]—it’s well accepted in some emerging markets but not much in the U.S,” said Lixin Cheng, chairman and CEO of ZTE USA.  More developers are needed to write applications for the mobile Firefox OS to improve the experience of users, Cheng said.  “It’s really about the ecosystem, it’s really about what you can do with the phone, rather than OS,” Cheng said.

ZTE made its mark selling affordable smartphones worldwide and its U.S. market share is growing. The company in recent months started shipping new Android smartphones in the U.S. The most notable was the ZMAX smartphone, which has a 5.7-inch screen and is sold through T-Mobile for $252 without a contract or installment plan. The handset is a low-cost competitor to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 and Apple iPhone 6 Plus...