Sony releases experimental Firefox OS ROM for Xperia

Published February 28, 2013 11:59am

Firefox OS, Mozilla's new operating system for smartphones, is getting a boost with the app developer community as electronics giant Sony released an experimental Firefox OS ROM for the Xperia E phone.

In a blog post, Sony said the ROM is available for developers and shows the progress of Sony and Telefónica's evaluation of the Firefox OS.

"To show you our current progress, we now also provide an experimental version of the Firefox OS software for Xperia E, so that advanced developers can try it out and so that we can get valuable community feedback," it said.

Sony said its experts Andreas Sandblad and Per Åstrand have worked on the experimental Firefox OS ROM, which can be flashed to the Xperia E.

It said it is "interested" in exploring the technology behind Firefox OS, which is built entirely upon open web standards.

Bob Ishida, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head of Products Business Group at Sony Mobile Communications, said Sony wants to evaluate innovative technologies "that can help deliver the premium user experiences that Sony’s consumers expect."

Ishida said Sony engineers are now working with Firefox OS Mobile and HTML5, which he described as "evolving technologies which show great potential.”

Not for daily use

However, Sony warned the ROM is "not intended for daily use," due to its experimental nature.

It also made clear unlocking the boot loader to install Firefox OS may void the warranty of the Sony device.

Also, Sony said the Firefox OS ROM will work only on an unlocked Xperia E.

"You should be an advanced developer with extensive knowledge in how to flash and switch between different ROMs. If you are a consumer without these developer skills, then we strongly recommend you not do try this as you may damage your phone," it said.

'Inactive' features

Among the features are not switched on or implemented are:

No radio connectivity available, as the software has not passed certification and type approval. This means no phone calls, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
SD card functionality might be unstable.
Touch sensitivity is not fully calibrated.

— TJD, GMA News

Tags: mozilla, mozillafirefox, sony, sonyxperia, smartphone