X

Huawei takes the Firefox OS plunge with the Y300 (pictures)

Huawei's first Firefox OS phone went on display at Mobile World Congress, joining earlier models from ZTE, Alcatel, and LG Electronics. Here's a look.

stephenshankland.jpg
stephenshankland.jpg
Stephen Shankland
Stephen Shankland has been a reporter at CNET since 1998 and writes about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
Stephen Shankland
Huawei Y300
1 of 12 Stephen Shankland/CNET

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS

Huawei has followed ZTE, Alcatel, and LG Electronics into the Firefox OS market. Here's the home screen of the Y300, the first Huawei model with Mozilla's browser-based operating system.
Huawei Y300
2 of 12 Stephen Shankland/CNET

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS

The top of the Huawei Y300 has a notification bar. Shown here across the bottom of the screen is a toolbar for quick adjustments for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and more.
Huawei Y300
3 of 12 Stephen Shankland/CNET

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS

To the left of the Huawei Y300 home screen is a search bar that locates Web sites and Web apps. It's a standard feature of Firefox OS.
20140223_Firefox_OS_Huawei_Y300_007.jpg
4 of 12 Stephen Shankland/CNET

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS

Firefox OS is a browser-based operating system, meaning that apps are written with the same technologies used to produce Web pages. But for conventional browsing, it's got a version of Firefox, too.
Huawei Y300
5 of 12 Stephen Shankland/CNET

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS

The Huawei Y300 isn't particularly thin, but Firefox OS isn't geared today for top-end phones.
Huawei Y300
6 of 12 Stephen Shankland/CNET

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS

The Huawei Y300 Firefox OS phone's volume rocker is on the right edge.
Huawei Y300
7 of 12 Stephen Shankland/CNET

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS

The back of the Huawei Y300 has a 5-megapixel camera and an LED flash.
Huawei Y300
8 of 12 Stephen Shankland/CNET

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS

Firefox OS lets people install apps through the Firefox Marketplace as well as through search. This is what it looks like on the Huawei Y300.
Huawei Y300
9 of 12 Stephen Shankland/CNET

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS

A long-press on the home button shows a task manager that lets you swipe among thumbnails showing various open apps.
Huawei Y300
10 of 12 Stephen Shankland/CNET

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS's photo gallery app.
Huawei Y300
11 of 12 Stephen Shankland/CNET

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS

Mozilla pushed for browser standards that would let Web apps use hardware like the phone. Here's the Firefox OS camera app running on the Huawei Y300.
Huawei Y300
12 of 12 Stephen Shankland/CNET

Huawei Y300 running Firefox OS

The Firefox OS on-screen keyboard on the Huawei Y300.

More Galleries

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features and Settings on Your iPhone
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features and Settings on Your iPhone

18 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
Go Inside the Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro: See How the New iPhones Look and Work
iphone 15 in different color from an angled view

Go Inside the Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro: See How the New iPhones Look and Work

21 Photos
2023 BMW Z4 Is 100% More Purple
2023 BMW Z4

2023 BMW Z4 Is 100% More Purple

17 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos
Yamaha motorcycle and instrument designers trade jobs (pictures)
yamaha01.jpg

Yamaha motorcycle and instrument designers trade jobs (pictures)

16 Photos
CNET's 'Day of the Dead Devices' altar (pictures)
dia-de-los-muertos-3318-001.jpg

CNET's 'Day of the Dead Devices' altar (pictures)

9 Photos