Samsung has unveiled its first consumer Tizen phone. This device comes with some decent specs like 4.8-inch 720p AMOLED display, 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory and 8MP rear shooter. This is Samsung’s own – brand operating system. The bad news is that the phone will only be available in Russia, with some other target markets to follow. The Samsung Z will go on sale in Russia in the July-to-September quarter.
Tizen is a Linux-based opeating system for devices—including smartphone, tablets, in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) devices, smart TVs, laptops and smart cameras. Its licensing model involves software that uses a variety of open source licenses that may be incompatible and a proprietary SDK. It aims to offer a consistent user experience across devices. Tizen is a project within the Linux Foundation and is governed by a Technical Steering Group (TSG) composed of Samsung and Intel among others.
The Tizen Association formed to guide the industry role of Tizen, including requirements gathering, identifying and facilitating service models, and overall industry marketing and education. Members of the Tizen Association represent every major sector of the mobility industry and every region of the world. Current members include telecommunications network operators, OEMS and manufacturers: Fujitsu, Huawei, Intel, KT Corporation, NEC Casio Mobile Communications, NTT Docomo, Orange S.A, Panasonic Mobile Communications, Samsung, SK Telecom, Sprint and Vodafone.While the Tizen Association decides what needs to be done in Tizen, the Technical Steering Group determines what code is actually incorporated into the operating system to accomplish those goals. Tizen roots back to the Samsung Linux Platform (SLP) and the LiMo Project and in 2013 Samsung merged its homegrown Bada project into Tizen.
Most Samsung phones currently use the Android platform, but the South Korean firm has been working with chipmaker Intel to develop Tizen as an alternative operating system. The company will show off the phone at the Tizen Developer Conference, being held this week in San Francisco.
Here are the full specs below:
- 4.8-inch 720p Super AMOLED display
- 2.3 GHz quad-core processor (presumably a Snapdragon 800 or a down-clocked 801)
- 2GB of RAM
- 16GB of storage with microSD
- 8MP camera (rear), 2.1MP (front)
- Category 4 LTE
- Tizen 2.2.1 OS
- 138.2 x 69.8 x 8.5mm, 136g
- 2600mAh battery
- Connectivity: NFC, IR Remote, GPS / GLONAS, 802.11 a/b/g/n (MIMO), BT 4.0
- Fingerprint reader
- Heart rate sensor
- Software features: Ultra Power Saving Mode, Download Booster, S Health 3.0, Color theme customization
Samsung is committed to enhancing the mobile experience of consumers with innovation that is both personal and unique to their needs,” said DJ Lee, President and Head of Global Sales & Marketing Office, Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “The Samsung Z integrates the power and adaptability of the Tizen platform, enabling users to browse the web faster and utilize applications more effectively”.
