Mozilla’s Firefox OS is said to release by 2013 and the OS will be optimized for running web based apps – which is great news for mobile web developers. However, there has been a lot of question as to how this new OS will fair among big players like iOS, Android, Windows, etc.

A recent report covered by WirelessWeek says Firefox OS will account for 1% of the market:

“According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, Mozilla’s Firefox OS will capture 1 percent share of global smartphone shipments in 2013. Firefox OS will target entry-level smartphone users, both her in the United States and in a emerging markets, a segment currently dominated by Android.

Mozilla’s Firefox OS, which open-sourced and optimized to run browser-based HTML5 apps, has already received backing from Chinese device manufacturer ZTE, with more OEMs expected to follow. ZTE has confirmed it will release a Firefox OS device by 2013.

While 1 percent may not seem like a lot, it’s worth considering that Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS currently controls just over 3 percent of the total market, according to ComScore.

Scott Bicheno, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, said in research notes that he expects the first Firefox smartphones to launch commercially in Latin America or Western Europe in the first half of next year.”

It will definitely be tough for Firefox to compete with Android and the rest of the gang – but hopefully if tested and priced well Firefox will grow quickly from the predicted 1%.

What do you think of the Firefox OS? Do you plan to use it or stick to one of the bigger players? Share your thoughts in the comments section.