Firefox OS is dead; Mozilla lays off ‘connected devices’ team

Mozilla is shutting down its 'connected devices' group. This group was most famous for developing the ill-fated Firefox OS which had recently seen attempts to build the OS into devices like routers and streaming boxes. 

As per a report by CNET, “about 50 people” are being laid off including Ari Jaaksi - the man in charge of the 'connected devices' unit. Mozilla is reportedly shifting its focus to researching new technologies for connected devices and stepping back from launching commercial products. 

The death of Firefox OS was long time coming. The OS failed to take off in any way whatsoever, be it as a mobile OS or an OS for other connected devices. 

The company gave up on Firefox OS for smartphones in late 2015 and shifted its focus to Internet Of Things (IoT)/connected devices. The only connected device launched with Firefox OS was a Panasonic 4K TV which failed to set the market on fire 

What was Firefox OS? 
Based on Android, the open-source OS was unique in the sense that it was entirely powered by web technologies. Every aspect of the OS including the Apps, the home screen, the interface were written in either HTML, JavaScript and CSS. 

This web-based application approach enabled Firefox OS Apps to be as low as 128KB in size. Thus the OS was targeted at developing markets as it could run on extremely low-end hardware. Some smartphone has as little as 128MB of RAM. 

Firefox OS however failed to gain any traction as a mobile OS as the experience on offer was laggy and slow. Mozilla shifted the focus of the OS from mobile phones to connected devices such as smart TV’s but that too failed to gain traction. 

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