As it stands, Firefox OS isn’t a very popular third-party operating system for Android devices, especially when compared to others like CyanogenMod, but Mozilla developer Fabrice Desré is attempting to change that.
With the introduction of his new application called B2GDroid, Android users can essentially get a toned-down Firefox OS experience. You’ll be able to try out different features, like the launcher, notification drawer, lock screen, settings page, and a few buggy FireFox OS apps as well—all without rooting your device or flashing a ROM.
Step 1: Enable “Unknown Sources”
This app isn’t available on the Google Play Store, so order to download and install it, you’ll need to enable app installation from “Unknown sources” on your device.
Step 2: Download & Install B2GDroid
Using the link provided below, download the app and install it. Currently, the app will only support ARM architecture, which is what most devices use.
If you’re curious about the name of the app, “fennec” is the internal codename for the mobile version of Firefox, and “fabrice” is the name of the developer who ported the ROM for this launcher.
Step 3: Set as Default Launcher & Play Around
Once it’s installed, you can quickly apply it by tapping or pressing your Home key, then selecting “Firefox OS” as the launcher. Alternatively, you can go through your system settings to apply it as your launcher as well.
Let’s make no bones about it: this will most-likely not be your daily home launcher—it can be slow at times, with lag here and there, and the aesthetics are one only a mother could love.
While some have mentioned that it worked flawlessly, I experienced problems on the Samsung Galaxy S6, though the Nexus 7 ran it well enough to try it out. It is recommended that once you’ve installed and set it as your home launcher, you should let it “settle” for a little bit, then reboot your device.
Occasionally, the app might crash and you’ll see a page where you can comment on the issue and send it to the dev. There’s also a “Restart Fennec” option.
But other than that, you should definitely explore the launcher. Firefox’s inclusion of the search technology from the EverythingMe launcher makes finding apps, contacts, and web results a breeze, and the Settings menu is neat and functional.
Did this help you decide whether you like Firefox OS or was it too buggy to even use? Let us know!
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