MWC: ZTE launches Open C, Open II Firefox OS smartphones

ZTE has launched two new Firefox OS phones in the ZTE Open series with the Open C and Open II at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in 2014.

"The Open C is one of the first devices to operate on the latest version of Firefox OS and is designed to deliver a better user experience and a higher cost-performance ratio. As part of Telefónica's long-term cooperation with ZTE, the Open C will be initially launched with Telefónica in Venezuela and Uruguay during the second quarter of 2014," the company claimed.

Also running the latest version of Firefox OS, the Open II is the evolution of the popular ZTE Open, which was launched in 2013 in six countries by Telefónica as well as being sold through eBay in the US and UK markets.

ZTE Open II, Firefox OS-powered device comes with a mere 2MP camera at the back alongside a touchscreen capable 3.5" HVGA (480 × 320 resolution) display, a dual-core 1.2GHz MSM8210 processor, 256MB RAM as well as 2GB of internal memory. The battery on the ZTE Open II will stand at 1,150mAh.

The Open C is powered by a Qualcommm Snapdragon 200 processor with dual-core CPUs at speeds of up to 1.2 GHz per core from Qualcomm Technologies.

"Firefox OS is an open-source, Web-based operating system and offers a fresh and simple UI with a full range of features and apps, including camera, dialer, SMS and games created using HTML5 technologies. Web apps are not resource intensive, so users can enjoy higher performance at a more affordable price. The Open C supports bi-directional contact sync and linking as well as Firefox OS's unique adaptive apps search function which allows users to search for content faster by using the search box at the top of the main home screen," the company said in statement.

"Qualcomm Technologies has been collaborating with ZTE and Mozilla since the beginning of Firefox OS development, and we're excited to be a part of the 2nd generation of Firefox device launches from ZTE," said Jason Bremner, senior vice president of product management, Qualcomm Technologies.

As Firefox OS consumes fewer resources, the 1400 mAh battery on the Open C lasts for at least six to eight hours, even when watching videos or listening to music for a long time. The Open C allows people to express their personalities in six colours: dark blue, light blue, turquoise, red, white and orange.

"Qualcomm Technologies has been collaborating with ZTE and Mozilla since the beginning of Firefox OS development, and we're excited to be a part of the 2nd generation of Firefox device launches from ZTE," said Jason Bremner, senior vice president of product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Following the launches of the Open C and dual-core Open II, ZTE also plans to release a 4.5-inch Firefox OS smartphone by 2015.

In addition to eBay, ZTE will also cooperate with additional e-commerce platforms for both the Open C and Open II.

"Our first Firefox OS phone, the ZTE Open, proved hugely popular and we are excited to bring even more innovative Firefox OS products to market, starting with the ZTE Open C and Open II. We have huge confidence in the Firefox OS platform and expect to deliver more than one million Firefox OS phones this year alone," ended Kan Yulun.