Firefox OS launch Smartphones begins in June ! (video updated)

Geeksphone begins selling two phones, the Keon and Peak, starting Tuesday. These lower-budget models are geared for programmers building Web apps for Mozilla’s open-source OS.

Mozilla has been quiet on the Firefox OS announcement front for some time, but CEO Gary Kovacs broke the silence on Monday when he revealed the new mobile operating system will launch in June.The initial Firefox OS release will include five countries: Venezuela, Poland, Brazil, Portugal and Spain.

Both the Geeksphones models will come with a prerelease version of Firefox OS. Hardware specs are as follows:

The Keon :

• 1Ghz Qualcomm Cortex-A5 processor.
  
• 3.5-inch multitouch screen.
• tri-band UMTS/HSPA radio
• 3-megapixel camera
• GPS receiver, proximity sensor, accelerometer.
• 512MB or RAM.
• 4GB of storage.
• 1580 mAh battery.

The Peak :

• 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm 8225 processor.
  
• 512MB of RAM.
• 4GB of storage.
• 4.3-inch multitouch qHD IPS screen.
• 8-megapixel back-facing camera and 2-megapixel front-facing camera.
• GPS receiver.
•  proximity sensor, accelerometer.
• tri-band UMTS/HSPA radio
• 1800mAh battery.

In addition to targeting emerging markets, Firefox’s angle is that, instead of native apps written for a specific platform, the platform is designed for Web apps written in HTML5 technologies that are already used on the Web. And, instead of requiring all apps for its platform be distributed through its own store, as Apple does, Mozilla will allow developers to distribute their apps through their Web sites or other app stores, in addition to a Firefox OS one.

Mozilla has said that Firefox OS includes “all the things people need from a smartphone out of the box — calls, messaging, e-mail, camera and more,” in addition to built-in cost controls, social connections to Facebook and Twitter, location-based services, “a new ability to discover one-time user and downloadable apps,” and, of course, the Firefox browser.

The posting also said that the Firefox OS provides “far more sophisticated and deeper search capabilities” than are normally available.

 “if you aren’t betting on HTML 5, you’re making a mistake” and believes there’s room for another OS alongside Android and iOS that can harness the power of the open web with ready-made apps that are already out there.