14 DAY TRIAL // Firefox is by far Mozilla's best known product, but the organization is very involved in a number of things relating to the web at large and not just its browser. Perhaps even more than other browser makers, it's always interested in standardization of web features, but it's also looking at ways the web can enhance other areas of our life.
In typical Mozilla fashion, its latest undertaking is both understated and incredibly bold.
In short, it wants to create an API which will enable developers to create web applications for mobile phones that can leverage a lot more hardware features and capabilities than it is currently possible.
Essentially, the WebAPI will enable web apps to actually compete with native applications. Mozilla wants this because it is a big supporter of the open web, as opposed to closed, proprietary walled gardens.
"Where we are today, there’s a clear distinction between the Open Web and native APIs and how things have to be built," Mozilla states the obvious problem.
"As many developers are aware of, we need consistent APIs across web browsers, operating systems and devices to be able to build something for the world, not just a specific device or vendor," it adds.
HTML5 goes a long way towards this, along with several other related technologies, HTML5 enables web apps, even in their relatively simple form of today, to be a reality. But there's more that can be done.
"WebAPI is an effort by Mozilla to bridge together the gap, and have consistent APIs that will work in all web browsers, no matter the operating system," Mozilla said.
"Specification drafts and implementation prototypes will be available, and it will be submitted to W3C for standardization," it added.
What's even more bold is that Mozilla wants to have the basics ready in a few months. And the 'basics' are actually pretty detailed.
Mozilla wants web apps to be able to access contacts data and also access the phone's dialer and text messages. Another API would allow access to the phone's camera and stored files.
Several other APIs cover pretty much most use cases for native applications and if Mozilla can do it in such a short time frame, there's a good chance that web applications will finally start challenging native apps in perhaps less than a year.