Sick of Apple’s walled garden? Feel Android is the Windows of smartphones? That is how Mozilla feels — and they have developed an alternatives for the masses, Firefox OS (an HTML5-based mobile operating system). The only problem? There is no phone or tablet out there right now that runs Firefox OS. This, however, is about to change.

ZTE, a Chinese tech company that manufacturers phone infrastructure equipment, mobile phones, and tablets, has announced they will be bringing a Firefox OS smartphone to Europe later this year. CEO of ZEU U.S. Cheng Lixin says they will be “closely monitor the ecosystem and how it evolves” and if the device sells wells, ZTE may bring Firefox OS smartphones across the pond to the United States, too.

In similar news, according to Jay Sullivan, vice president of products at Mozilla, Telefonica (a Spanish telecom) plans on selling Firefox OS smartphones in Latin America some time in 2013.

So, at the very least, 2013 will see atleast two Firefox OS devices. For the sake of competition, let’s hope we see more.

[via TechWeekEurope, Bloomberg]