MWC: Telefónica and Mozilla Creating Web Device Platform

Telefónica and Mozilla have unveiled a plan to create the first HTML5-based devices running on the open web.

The joint strategy will produce the Open Web Devices platform (OWD) later in 2012, and will mark a step towards HTML5 becoming the next major ecosystem for smartphones, according to the companies. 

The platform will allow for smartphone capabilities to be delivered at lower price points, claim Telefónica. 

The capabilities are being submitted to W3C for standardisation, with a view to being made openly available to device manufacturers. 

Telefónica and Mozilla are developing the HTML5-based operating system on a hardware platform that is based upon a Qualcomm chipset. The three companies will be collaborating to deliver a feature rich prototype platform.

Carlos Domingo, director of product development and innovation at Telefónica Digital, says: “Telefónicas objective is to drive HTML5 adoption across the industry. For the first time the capabilities of HTML5 and the open web have been fully leveraged to create an entirely new mobile platform. From our experience in Latin America we know that a huge part of the market is not being catered for by current smartphones. With new open web devices we will be able to offer a smartphone experience at the right price point for these customers.”

Brendan Eich, Mozilla CTO, says: “It has long been our mission to deliver advanced web technologies that eliminate roadblocks for users and developers. By providing the missing links, Mozilla is now unlocking the power of the web as the platform for creating and consuming rich content everywhere.”

Adobe is also supporting the project, and Arno Gourdol, senior director of web platform and authoring at the company, says: “Adobe is pleased to see Telefónica and Mozilla launch this new initiative. We continue to invest in HTML5 products and technologies and support standards bodies like the W3C. The Open Web Devices APIs can be supported as extensions to PhoneGap, enabling developers to create rich HTML5 apps that work across these new Open Web Devices and all of the platforms supported by PhoneGap, including Android, BlackBerry, iOS and Windows Phone.”