Mozilla has announced the availability of Firefox OS 2.5 Developer Preview, offering the operating system as an app on Android.
This is an early, experimental build of the OS, targeted at developers to download on Android devices.
The experimental app replaces several elements of the Android homescreen with Firefox’s web-based offering, and even comes with a set of system apps for phone calls, messages, emails, and an app store.
Mozilla state:
“If you’re curious to see what Firefox OS is all about, or just interested in testing out new features, the Firefox OS 2.5 Developer Preview app makes it very simple to get started with very little risk involved. By downloading the app, you can experience Firefox OS and explore many of its capabilities, without flashing hardware.
If you decide you’re done trying it out, the app can be removed as simply as any other app. If you’re interested in becoming a code contributor or bug reporter, the app makes it dramatically easier to get involved.”
Firefox OS 2.5 includes:
- Add-ons: Firefox OS add-ons can extend just one app, several, or all of them, including the system app itself.
- Private Browsing with Tracking Protection: A new Firefox privacy feature, Tracking Protection allows users to control how their browsing activity is tracked across many sites.
- Pin the Web: Pin the Web removes the artificial distinction between web apps and web sites and lets you pin any web site or web page to your home screen for later usage.
The current build will only work on ARM-based devices. It will not work on x86 devices.
Developers can download the Firefox OS 2.5 Developer Preview here.
