Communication is changing, no surprise there. If there is one
constant in the “talking” industry, it is change. History tells us that, along
with that change, we will see a shift in market players. Big Names will emerge
and turn former Big Names into historical footnotes. Remember the “Crackberry?”
But, in the world of technology, there is always the wildcard.
It may never grab a majority of market share, but it finds a market and gains a
foothold, bleeding points from industry leaders in a war of attrition. Could
this be the case with the newest entry into the mobile market?
Mozilla’s army of volunteer coders has created the first viable
alternative to the Big Name mobile device manufacturers, a phone that runs on
the popular Firefox platform.
Firefox remains a popular “not Google” alternative to IE and
Safari, and Mozilla is hoping that the same will soon be said for its phone.
And, that may happen, if the marketplace big boys allow it.
Until this point, Mozilla has not really been considered a
threat to the for-profit market leaders. The company operated as an open-source
entity, creating code that others could commercialize or build on and make
better. Google, Apple, and Microsoft essentially treated Mozilla like Doc
Brown, toiling away in his garage, but no real threat to their core market share.
In fact, about 90% of Mozilla’s recent revenue has come from – wait for it – a
search traffic deal with Google. But now Mozilla has moved beyond the kooky guy
in his garage, and may have actually turned that Delorean into a time machine.
Google’s Android currently owns the market, maintaining a 78%
market share, more than four times Apple’s 18% second-place position. No one
seriously expects Firefox to put a dent in the iPhone, so that makes Android
the more likely target. If Firefox can compete on either “cool” or “price,” or
"both," as they have shown in some markets already, then Google may
have to take a serious look at their once-and-future internet ally.
Another potential – and likely, safer – target is the
aforementioned Blackberry. The fallen king of the mobile market is looking at
some of the same developing international markets where the Firefox phones
could make a splash. Could this turn into the ultimate undercard fight that
overshadows the heavyweight bout? The answer to that question will play out
based on how each brand introduces its brand, and manages the consumer PR in
these markets.
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