China-based ZTE reportedly plans to launch its first Open webOS-based smartphone for overseas markets in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to industry sources.

To further diversify its smartphone platforms, ZTE also plans to roll out smartphone models running on Mozilla's Firefox OS, the sources added.

ZTE is believed to be the first smartphone vendor to adopt Open webOS after Hewlett Packard (HP) promised to release webOS under an open source license project, indicated the sources. HP has released a beta version of the code.

More smartphone vendors may fellow the steps of ZTE to develop open-source Linux platforms due to the controversy erupting over Google's attempt to check development of modified Android platforms by banning Acer from launching a smartphone based on Aliyun, developed by China-based Alibaba, the source commented.

Article translated by Steve Shen