Mozilla readies own app marketplace

Mozilla is readying its entry to the application store arena by placing its Mozilla Marketplace into beta in a few weeks' time, a tech site reported. Mozilla's Joe Stagner disclosed this at the AnDevCon III conference in Burlingame, California, PC World reported. "The browser-accessible marketplace will feature applications built using Web development technologies, including HTML5 for structure; Cascading Style Sheets for layout, visual aesthetics, and visual behaviors; and JavaScript for logical implementation. The store will accept multiple types of applications and is not limited to mobile device software," it quoted Stagner as saying. Stagner also said that the Mozilla Marketplace will offer developers hundreds of millions of more users than its rivals, the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. It also will feature a liberal application submission process, he added. PC World noted Mozilla had announced last February that the marketplace was open for developer submissions. "There's a very quick screening process," Stagner said, but added that there will be restrictions on illegal software, pornography, and software that infringes copyrights or trademarks. Although the store can be accessed by any browser, Mozilla's Firefox will provide a more feature-rich native install experience. PC World said Mozilla expects to generate revenues through the store via advertising and cuts for applications sold. It also said Mozilla wants to make the Mozilla Marketplace generally available later this year, and source code will be released for the marketplace. "We're going to publish the source code for the marketplace, so if anybody wants to set up their own marketplace, they can do that, too," Stagner said. - AMD, GMA News