When Mozilla first brought Firefox to the scene, adoption rates were phenomenal thanks to the lackluster performance of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Alternative browsers were there, but none seemed to generate the hype and critical acclaim as Firefox did. Things have changed significantly since the days of Firefox 3, though, and with Google looking to dominate every technological field involving software, Mozilla has done pretty will to remain relevant.
Despite the popularity of the search giant’s Chrome browser, Firefox remains on terms with regards to general reach, and while Google and Apple are both market leaders in the app scene, the dogged Mozilla Foundation is developing its own online portal, aptly named the Firefox Marketplace.
When you look at the number of companies and services which have failed to innovate when another juggernaut has come along (read: Bebo, Myspace), Mozilla’s determination to compete with a company of Google’s magnitude is admirable, and if you want to get a taster of the Firefox Marketplace, you now can.
No, this isn’t a beta-like opportunity for tech fans to get a glimpse at a near-final product, and as such, it’s only advised those with a little patience and general know-how look into testing what is, at present, a mere springboard. It can be accessed by those using the Aurora browser on Android, and from what we’ve already seen, it looks as though Firefox will be keeping things simple and uncluttered.
Although content in a marketplace is always important, keeping things as minimalistic as possible is usually a positive approach, and although we’ve not had a chance to test the Firefox Marketplace ourselves, previously-leaked shots from last month indicate the app portal won’t be overrun with excessive spam.
If you’ve ever used Google Play or Apple’s App Store, you’ll be more than familiar with the sequence of navigating through. You find your app with the help of descriptions, ratings and whatnot, and once you’ve located what you need, you simply hit the "Install" button.
As already mentioned, it’s pretty empty at this point in time, and one can only access free apps since there’s currently no payment system in place. Nevertheless, these are pretty exciting times for Mozilla, and if you’re a developer – or generally just intrigued – why not download the Aurora browser and give it a try?
(source Mozilla)
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