Mozilla: Android and iPhone are helping us

Mozilla Europe President Tristan Nitot has told TechRadar that he believes the launch of the iPhone and Android has helped the company open up the mobile phone industry.

In an extensive interview, Nitot claimed that the addition of the new platforms has helped shake up the industry for the benefit of consumers.

And when we asked if things like Google's Android Market and Apple's App Store still have too many limits, he agreed but pointed out that it's just the start of a change in industry direction:

"We have to put things in perspective. I think the iPhone was a great step in the right direction two years ago and Android is another step further.

"Is Android the ultimate destination of the journey towards openness? I'd say no - but it's better than iPhone, and the iPhone was better than the walled gardens that came before it.

"So the walls are crumbling, although parts of them still remain. The iPhone has been helping that process for a while, Android is also helping and I think [Mozilla] can go even further. We are in process of opening up the mobile phone industry."

Mobile to PC

Nitot also highlighted how he sees links between the mobile phone and PC industry, and hopes that one day they will both be open to all to morph and develop for as users see fit:

"The phone industry is changing and I hope it's going to keep changing. It still has origins that are strongly visible, but it's opening up and becoming more like the PC industry.

"That's not to say I think the PC industry couldn't be more open but with that you can decide what kind of app and which ISP you use, which web service you access – and these kind of things demonstrate the PC is a more open platform."

Nitot said he was glad there was a shift in the industry towards open standards from network operators deciding what was best for their customers, not only because it would benefit Mozilla but also create a better experience for the consumer:

"Phones, for a long while, have been about network operators saying they provide the best experience, but this is mostly marketing. What they do is provide everything; because they own the network they have access to the customer and because they offer bundling they can decide what kind of services you have on your phone."