The Firefox Browser & Mobile OS with Gen Kanai
Gen Kanai, @gen joined us here to discuss the Mozilla footprint in the form of Firefox browser and mobile OS in Asia during the FOSS Asia 2015 conference. We discuss the new features of Firefox browser with the new Firefox hello adopting the web RTC format, the Firefox mobile OS and how it is shaping towards an important mobile OS for the emerging markets particularly in the low end market segment with US$25 smartphone in Philippines. We also discuss other interesting implementations of Firefox mobile OS in smartphones and TVs, and why South Korea has a market share of 98% Internet Explorer due to the ActiveX problem for a long time until recently.
Here are the interesting show notes and links for our discussion:
- The story of Gen Kanai, Director of Asia Community Engagement. We discuss how he moved from his past roles in Sony, Technorati Japan to now in Mozilla.
- Mozilla Corporation and Foundation
- What do they do?
- What is the mission?
- What is the footprint of Mozilla in Asia? How does it collaborate with open source movements all over the world?
- What are the major initiatives for Mozilla in Asia?
- Firefox desktop browser in Asia:
- How has Firefox browser been adopted in the Asian markets?
- What is the current market share of the browser?
- What are some of the new features in Firefox that you want Asian users to really leverage on? Firefox Hello and Sync.
- Why South Korea is an Internet dinosaur – the Active X problem
- Firefox OS Mobile in Asia
- Why another mobile OS? What’s the major differentiation against iOS and Android?
- What are the key features of Firefox OS and how do Mozilla partner with carriers in the emerging markets?
- Interesting Firefox devices: (a) Emerging Markets: Cherry Mobile Ace (US$29), (b) High end smartphones: KDDI Fx0, (c) TV: Panasonic Firefox TVs.
- Thoughts on the rise of startups in Asia in the past decade and also a brief mention to how he got his twitter ID from Evan Williams, the co-founder of Twitter.
Podcast Information:
The show is hosted by Bernard Leong (@bleongcw) and is sponsored by Ideal Workspace (Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn).
