Firefox founder Mozilla has announced it's to use Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to play host to the unveiling of its new browser-based marketplace for apps.

The firm has said it's ready to take submissions from developers for the store - dubbed Mozilla Marketplace - with the platform set to deliver apps designed to run on any HTML5-enabled device.

Power of the platforms

The launch of the marketplace is designed to ensure browsers have a firm hand in the app market in the years to come, with Mozilla proclaiming HTML5 as the key to what could prove to be a far larger consumer base than that currently fostered by native app stores.

"The web is the largest platform in the world," said chief of innovation Todd Simpson.

"We are enabling the web to be the marketplace, giving developers the opportunity to play on the biggest playing field imaginable.

"By building the missing pieces, Mozilla is now unlocking the potential of the web to be the platform for creating and consuming content everywhere."

Going native

Mozilla claims its new marketplace will allow consumers to purchase apps on one device and then utilise them across scores of others.

In turn, developers can also target their titles at multiple platforms all at once, with new APIs from Mozilla "closing the technology gap between web and native apps".

Mozilla Marketplace will roll out to consumers "later this year".

[source: BusinessWire]