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In February 2014, Mozilla and Spreadtrum announced a chipset and reference-design partnership aimed at helping manufacturers build very low-cost Firefox OS smartphones. Spreadtrum described its SC6821 as a chipset for US$25 smartphones—but the announcement did not establish that a finished $25 phone reached retail.
What Mozilla and Spreadtrum announced
On February 23, 2014, Mozilla and Spreadtrum said they would offer turnkey Firefox OS reference designs using Spreadtrum entry-level smartphone chipsets, including the SC6821. A reference design gives handset makers a starting point for developing a device; it is not itself a retail phone launch. The designs were available for demonstration at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2014. Read the announcement.
Mozilla’s stated ambition was to extend access to smartphones and the web. Dr. Li Gong, then Mozilla senior vice president of Mobile Devices and president of Asia Operations, said the combination “has the potential to dramatically extend the reach of smartphones and the Web globally.” That was Mozilla’s rationale for the collaboration, not evidence of a measured result.
What the proposed $25 smartphone was supposed to include
Spreadtrum described the SC6821 as its chipset for US$25 smartphones. The announcement outlined a prospective handset with a 3.5-inch HVGA touchscreen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM and camera functions, plus Firefox OS phone and browser features and access to web and HTML5 apps. Those were announcement specifications for devices handset makers could develop—not independently verified specifications or test results for a confirmed retail phone. The companies’ announcement does not provide an independently verified retail price.
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Was an SC6821 Firefox OS phone actually sold for $25?
The announcement does not confirm that one was. It establishes a target price category, a chipset and reference designs demonstrated at MWC, but not a specific handset’s retail launch or transaction price. It also names companies expressing interest or support, which is not the same as proof that they later manufactured or sold a device.
The distinction matters because Mozilla separately reported that Firefox OS devices had gone on sale in 15 markets in the year after MWC 2013. That shows Firefox OS had a broader commercial presence; it does not establish that an SC6821 phone at the $25 target was among those devices. Mozilla’s account of those markets is separate from the Spreadtrum chipset announcement.
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Which partners were mentioned?
The release listed Telenor, Telkomsel, Indosat, Polytron, T2Mobile and Thundersoft among operators and ecosystem partners expressing interest or support. The announcement does not establish subsequent sales, deployment or the delivery of a $25 SC6821 phone by any of them. The partner names and announcement details should therefore be read as evidence of interest at the time, not confirmed retail availability.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the announcement does—and does not—tell us
- Established: Mozilla and Spreadtrum announced Firefox OS reference designs based on entry-level Spreadtrum chipsets, including the SC6821, and made them available for demonstration at MWC 2014.
- Described as a target: Spreadtrum associated the SC6821 with a US$25 smartphone category and outlined a prospective device’s features.
- Not established: The sources do not confirm a particular SC6821 phone’s retail release, a verified $25 selling price, benchmark results or handset testing.
- Historical context: Firefox OS devices sold in 15 markets according to Mozilla, but that broader figure does not verify sales of this particular design.
HotHardware’s index dates its report on the announcement to February 24, 2014. View the report index.
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