(Source: China Daily)

New launches signal a change in what's offered to better compete

ZTE Corp's plan to launch two smartphones in Latin America this spring using a mobile operating system it developed with US software maker Mozilla is the latest sign that Google Inc's dominant Android mobile operating system no longer has a stranglehold on handset makers, a ZTE executive said.

Smartphones powered by Firefox OS — bearing the same name as the Firefox web browser — are "key to ZTE's growth in Latin America", ZTE said in a release. The phones enable the Chinese company to "better target the entry-level smartphone market, providing an alternative for consumers who have few proven and affordable options", the company said.

The planned second-quarter rollout of the Firefox OS-powered ZTE Open C in Venezuela and Uruguay on the Telefonica network continues ZTE's long-term partnership with the mobile service provider. ZTE also plans to roll out its ZTE Open II sometime in the near future but didn't identify the targeted regions in a release.

The launches signal how handset makers are trying to diversify the software platforms for their smartphones and other mobile devices, said Kan Yulun, ZTE's chief executive for Europe, the Middle East and Africa and Latin America.

"Consumers want innovative devices that are also cost-effective," Kan said. "By delivering not just one, but two of the first devices with the latest version of Firefox OS, ZTE is continuing to push the boundaries and bring its customers the very latest that mobile technology can offer." ZTE's selection of Firefox OS fits with its aim to develop a range of devices that fit the consumer's needs, the executive said.