Mozilla Developing Chromecast Competitor That Runs Firefox OS: Report

Mozilla is developing its own streaming stick similar to Google's Chromecast, according to a new report.

The dongle will be powered by the company's Firefox OS, and will be capable of running at least some Chromecast apps, according to Gigaom.

Mozilla has been secretly developing the streaming device in conjunction with another partner, Gigaom reported. The partner's identity isn't clear, and the company is still finalizing how the device will eventually be branded, according to a video demoing the prototype, which was posted by reporter Janko Roettgers.

The device in the video appears to function much like Google's Chromecast, beaming content from a Nexus 7 tablet to a television. It will also eventually support beaming from the web via Firefox's browser, Roettgers said. The device is reportedly compatible with some existing Chromecast apps, including Google Play Music, YouTube and Plex.

News of the yet-unannounced Chromecast competitor first leaked Thursday when a Mozilla employee posted a photo of the prototype on Twitter:

If Mozilla launches the streaming stick, which may be codenamed Netcast, it will be joining an increasingly crowded and competitive space.

Roku launched its own streaming stick earlier this year. Amazon is aiming to compete in the streaming space with its recently debuted Fire TV set-top box. Reports have also suggested Apple may be partnering with Comcast to produce its own Chromecast competitor.

Mozilla is hoping to stand out from the competition by making its dongle "more open and hackable," according to Gigaom, with a platform that won't place any restrictions on the types of content open to developers.

The company did not immediately respond to Mashable's request for comment, but emphasized the openness of its platform in a statement to Gigaom:

Firefox OS is an open platform freely available for any company to build on top of without restriction. This means companies can experiment with different form factors that run Firefox OS.

UPDATE, Saturday, June 21, 2014, 5:00 P.M PT: A Mozilla spokesperson told Mashable “this is not a Mozilla device or project” but declined to provide further clarification.

Posted by : Gizmeon