Samsung has already said it would launch phones that use the Tizen operating system, but now here's confirmation the company will launch a high-end device running that OS at the end of the summer.
"The Tizen phone will be out in August or September, and this will be in the high-end category. The device will be the best product equipped with the best specifications," Samsung's executive vice president of its mobile business Lee Young Hee told Bloomberg. There's no word on what exactly makes it "best" though.
No Tizen devices are on sale yet, but anyone buying one will have "thousands" of apps to choose from, according to Chase Perrin from the Tizen Association. He accuses Android of being tightly controlled, with Tizen aiming to be just as open source and as easy to develop for.
Samsung wants to get away from Android -- which helped make it the world's biggest smart phone company -- because Google takes a huge cut from all the apps bought from Google Play to use on Samsung's devices. Which must eat into Samsung's profits something rotten.
Tizen is being developed by 12 companies, including Samsung, Intel, and Sprint Nextel, as a rival to Android.
It could be bad news for punters though. More fragmentation will mean more operating systems to get used to, which will turn off more 'casual' users. If you buy lots of apps from a Samsung-specific app store, your next mobile will have to be another Samsung, unless you want to lose all your purchases and pay for them again.
Having said that, competition is always welcome. And I do like the look of the Ubuntu Touch operating system shown off at Mobile World Congress.
What do you think? Do we have too many operating systems? Or should Tizen show Android how it's done? Let me know in the comments, or on Facebook.
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Comments 14
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Damien2501 16 March, 2013 15:17
Google-Motorola and Microsoft are entering the hardware market, it makes sense for Samsung to move towards the software market. I think Samsung will stick with Android for the next 2 years until Tizen has more features & apps - Galaxy S6 will probably run on Tizen. Also, Samsung won't drop Android & windows completely even then.
Kev_D 16 March, 2013 15:36
And just how's that Bada OS going?
anonymous 16 March, 2013 15:50
@Damien2501 mate, galaxy is the model range name,samsung give only to their android phones, the 'galaxy s..' devices will only ever run android.
jopov123 16 March, 2013 16:00
Talk about killing the golden goose!
Damien2501 16 March, 2013 16:29
@ anonymous 16 March, 2013 15:50 They can change that anytime- they can use the Galaxy branding to sell Tizen phones.
anonymous 16 March, 2013 18:48
I could be proved wrong but Tizen could be the Samsung equivalent of Apples replacement of Google maps.
A bit of a failure.
anonymous 16 March, 2013 21:10
Who on earth calls software that? I don't want to go around telling my mates i'm on Tizen. It will will get called Titsen or T'isnt (on) or even Tizer.
Damien2501 16 March, 2013 23:56
Samsung is highly involved in software already, some of the features in it's phones are Samsung features not Android.
When I see Samsung adverts I see exclusive Samsung apps & features - when I see Apple ads, they show third party features & apps found on a variety of phones.
anonymous 17 March, 2013 15:20
@jopov123 16 March, 2013 16:00
"Talk about killing the golden goose!"
People are buying a Samsung phone when they buy a Galaxy model, most are not buying it for the OS whether it's Android or anything else.
With it's very dominant position across all price bands in the smartphone market, Samsung will have no trouble moving people onto Tizen (agreed it is an unfortunate name).
They will have to make it compatible with Google services though.
anonymous 17 March, 2013 15:46
Google are going to close-in Android once they have tighter control over the hardware.
they have to in order to try and make some money out the whole Android adventure.
Google Play is a prime example of Google's attempt to open up revenue streams rather than rely on only advertising, search income and selling data on people. Those services generate vast income, but Android generate Zero.
Samsung on the other hand, see global dominance and controlling all aspects from hardware to software and services, as a primary objective. They are not content in just making hardware.
This is reflected in how the CEO saw the iPhone and ordered all development on Samsung smartphones to be stopped and switched to making adevices that folloewd the same design ethos. The Samsung hierarchy were said to have been in awe of the iPhone and Apple's business model, where a walled garden including hardware, software and services all generated income and helped to create a global brand that would open up income streams previously not available to them.
It was always inevitable that Samsung would ditch Android once it had served its purpose for them.
Global dominance in smartphone productio is bringing that time closer and closer.
anonymous 17 March, 2013 18:58
The big battle in the future will be Google versus Samsung.
Apple will continue to plough their own field while the other two giants will go head to head.
anonymous 17 March, 2013 21:55
Tizen can run Android apps, so why is there a fragmentation issue?
anonymous 18 March, 2013 09:20
If Tizen can run Android apps, then Androids fate may be sealed.
At the very top, Samsung are a ruthless organisation and they are clearly aiming to follow the vertical integration model that has been so successful for Apple.
With a powerful partner in Intel, they will drive this move relentlessly.
Anyone who thinks it's just another Bada mark 2, is seriously mistaken.
If they pull it off, Tizen will end up with at least 50% of the mobile device market within 5 or more years from now.
anonymous 31 March, 2013 04:30
Its perfectly acceptable for Samsung to be working on software, just like google/MS are entering hardware,