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WhatsApp was the big missing app for Firefox OS. In Mozilla's target markets, WhatsApp was huge but the company didn't want to invest any engineering resources

WhatsApp was the big missing app for Firefox OS. In Mozilla's target markets, WhatsApp was huge but the company didn't want to invest any engineering resources to support Firefox OS, understandably. Firefox OS was an unproven OS with no market share and no J2ME support. In response, Mozilla Research started a "j2me.js" project to try running the WhatsApp J2ME app in JavaScript, sharing some code with the Shumway project to run Flash content. If that worked well enough, maybe WhatsApp would become interested. It did actually kinda work, but the project did not proceed for a number of reasons. Also, j2me.js was renamed "PluotSorbet", due to trademark concerns: https://github.com/mozilla/pluotsorbet https://github.com/mozilla/pluotsorbet

digi_owl 10y ago
As best i understand, Whatsapp's support for anything but iOS is "poor" to put it nicely.
- eitland 10y ago
  Works really well on my Android.
  - benmward 10y ago
    Same here!
- Razengan 10y ago
  You mean iPhone, because there's no iPad version at all.
- 627467 10y ago
  bubble-vision. Whatsapp was pretty much messaging standard in South America, non-UK Europe, Russia and non-China SE Asia and I bet those were not majority iOS markets then nor now.
- mwfunk 10y ago
  Actually, WhatsApp runs on Symbian and Series 40. Many, possibly most, people who use WhatsApp run it on devices that arguably aren't even smartphones.
- digi_owl 10y ago
  Mea culpa, got it confused with a certain other messaging app...
IshKebab 10y ago
Wait... WhatsApp has a J2ME app? Like... a Midlet? From the 90s? For real?
- tim333 10y ago
  It certainly did have http://blog.textit.in/your-path-to-a-$16b-exit-build-a-j2me-app http://blog.textit.in/your-path-to-a-$16b-exit-build-a-j2me-...
- pjmlp 10y ago
  Not from the 90s, on many countries feature phones are still a thing, and they do run J2ME.
- Drdrdrq 10y ago
  I read somewhere that supporting "ancient" mobiles via j2me was the reason WhatsApp got the advantage over other chat apps. Yes, they (did) put a lot of effort in supporting j2me phones. EDIT: found source: http://blog.textit.in/your-path-to-a-$16b-exit-build-a-j2me-app http://blog.textit.in/your-path-to-a-$16b-exit-build-a-j2me-...
xicoloco 10y ago
WhatsApp was the only reason I didn't buy a Firefox OS phone here in Brazil. You need to have WhatsApp to get laid.

digi_owl 10y ago

As best i understand, Whatsapp's support for anything but iOS is "poor" to put it nicely.

eitland 10y ago
Works really well on my Android.
- benmward 10y ago
  Same here!
Razengan 10y ago
You mean iPhone, because there's no iPad version at all.
627467 10y ago
bubble-vision. Whatsapp was pretty much messaging standard in South America, non-UK Europe, Russia and non-China SE Asia and I bet those were not majority iOS markets then nor now.
mwfunk 10y ago
Actually, WhatsApp runs on Symbian and Series 40. Many, possibly most, people who use WhatsApp run it on devices that arguably aren't even smartphones.
digi_owl 10y ago
Mea culpa, got it confused with a certain other messaging app...

IshKebab 10y ago

Wait... WhatsApp has a J2ME app? Like... a Midlet? From the 90s? For real?

tim333 10y ago
It certainly did have http://blog.textit.in/your-path-to-a-$16b-exit-build-a-j2me-app http://blog.textit.in/your-path-to-a-$16b-exit-build-a-j2me-...
pjmlp 10y ago
Not from the 90s, on many countries feature phones are still a thing, and they do run J2ME.
Drdrdrq 10y ago
I read somewhere that supporting "ancient" mobiles via j2me was the reason WhatsApp got the advantage over other chat apps. Yes, they (did) put a lot of effort in supporting j2me phones. EDIT: found source: http://blog.textit.in/your-path-to-a-$16b-exit-build-a-j2me-app http://blog.textit.in/your-path-to-a-$16b-exit-build-a-j2me-...

xicoloco 10y ago

WhatsApp was the only reason I didn't buy a Firefox OS phone here in Brazil. You need to have WhatsApp to get laid.