"Based on AOSP" adds more confusion than clarity to the discussion. Firefox OS is based on the Android Linux kernel and uses the Android HAL and some other low level bits but it is not Android or even very similar to Android above the HAL.

For those curious -- like I was -- apparently the part based on AOSP is the low-level "infrastructure layer", Gonk: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Firefox_OS/Platform/Arch...

They also used associated tools like fastboot and adb.

AOSP: As "Android Open Source Project"?

Also did some googling, yes FireFoxOS is based on AOSP, or at least its a dependency in the build.

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Firefox_OS/Building_and_...

The promise of FxOS is that it should be lighter than Android because it strips out layers like SurfaceFlinger. Until now that hasn't really been delivered; I wonder if this phone is actually usable.

AOSP?