Although the popularity of Mozilla's Firefox web browser has waned slightly of late, thanks to the emergence of Google Chrome as the "official" alternative to Internet Explorer, the company has big plans for its open source software products in the near future.

According to a report from Investor Place, Mozilla is currently working to ensure that its offerings will be compatible with Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 operating system, citing the release of a new public strategy document by the browser maker this week.

"Mozilla will make Firefox more touchscreen friendly while also reducing its bulk to accommodate Windows 8's partial reliance on low-powered ARM microprocessors. The efficacy of Windows 8 will be a huge metric in deciding where browser technologies will flourish in the mobile sphere, and adapting Firefox to Windows 8 will be necessary if Mozilla wants to remain competitive on Windows devices," the news source said.

Part of the hype around Windows 8 - besides the simple fact that it's a new version of Windows, of course - centers on its applicability to platforms that aren't traditional PCs. By making the operating system highly useable on mobile products as well as desktops and laptops, Microsoft hopes to create a powerful synergy, with a whole ecosystem of computing devices dependent on its OS.

The same principle, according to Investor Place, should help Mozilla out as well. As computing devices of all form factors continue to become more similar, the software they run should follow the pattern. In other words, those who use Firefox on their PCs should be more likely to look for a Firefox option on their mobile devices.

In addition to the development of a Firefox version for Windows 8, the publication stated, Mozilla is also planning to create an open source app store on the new platform.

"The Firefox application store, whose name is rumored to be 'Open Web App Store,' will make games and applications available in a manner that's easy to navigate for a general user. The browser's add-on, downloadable customization tools will continue to be offered separately and are expected to receive their own update," Investor Place reported.

Like Google Chrome, the news source added, Mozilla will develop a synchronization feature, allowing users to access the same applications, bookmarks and other customized features of Firefox regardless of whether they are using their smartphone, tablet or PC.

While Firefox still retains a substantial share of the browser market, its recent replacement by Google Chrome as the runner-up to Internet Explorer means that the trends are not in Mozilla's favor. The open source browser maker needs a break, and decision-makers at the company could be hoping that success for Windows 8 will improve their market share thanks to the extensive planning they have undertaken for the platform.

However, these hopes might be misplaced, for a couple of reasons. For one thing, if Windows 8 is successful in the mobile market, the likely winner in the browser sector is Internet Explorer, not a third party offering. Although Mozilla's hard work could still pay off, Microsoft's browser seems like the most probable front-runner on a Microsoft platform.

What's more, there's no guarantee that Windows 8 will be a runaway success in the mobile market, particularly in light of the tech world's generally blasé reaction to Windows Phone 7. Though devices running that OS have been generally well-received, the platform's market share is greatly overshadowed by competitors iOS and Android. By focusing on development for Windows 8, then, Mozilla could be putting its eggs in the wrong basket.