By 
Samsung’s finally done it, folks — they’ve brought their first Tizen-based smartphone. It’s the Samsung Z. No Galaxy in the name, naturally, because it doesn’t run Android. It’s very much a Samsung phone, though. It features TouchWiz with S Health 3.0, a fingerprint scanner, and a heart rate monitor. It has a 2.3Ghz quad-core processor 2GB of RAM. And it even has that familiar faux leather back that some of Samsung’s latest products have been sporting. Unfortunately the display doesn’t quite match up at 4.8 inches and 720p resolution, but that’s good enough for any decent smartphone.
So what now? Is Samsung going to make a full-fledged attempt to replace their Android-based Galaxy lineup with Tizen-based offerings like they did with smart watches? By extension, is the Samsung Galaxy line doomed? And by further extension, is Android doomed?
Not likely. Samsung still has a long way to go if they want to ween off the alc– I mean, Android. Tizen doesn’t currently have much developer support, and even if Samsung begins courting a good deal of developers it wouldn’t be able to match up to the prowess of Google Play. And we all know users go where the apps are (which is probably why Microsoft is having a tough time finding solid footing in the smartphone space).
The short answer is that this shouldn’t be worrying anyone. We’re sure Samsung would love to someday blossom into Apple and produce all their own software and hardware, but that day likely isn’t around the corner or even up the street. They have to start somewhere, though, and this is where they’ll begin.
[via Samsung Tomorrow]
Epic fail, soon as it doesn’t sell well compared to Android offerings they will abort the silly little project that is Tizen thinks they can beat Android or iOS… Don’t think so Sammy, not even in your dreams
I think they thought this through as a long term project where they can simply ease their way into a smooth transition. Like build up tizen app store over the next few years then say the Galaxy note 6 releases with tizen instead of android and to be honest the casual buyer wont even recognize the difference until the get to the app store and by that time they will have already bought the phone. so i think it has a chance to be successful, a long time from now tho
I think people underestimate the casual buyer. Working at tmobile, I have people ask me after I’ve listed specs, “does this run Android?” Maybe google has done better with Android branding with their OEM’s in recent years.
The worst part is that most people here where i live, ask for a “Galaxy with Android”, can’t really imagine how fast Samsung will take people to ask for a “Z with tiZen”…
yea I agree, ive seen an surge in smarter buyers, but if someone (casual shopper) who has bought the galaxy s then upgrade time bought the s3 then next upgrade time bought the s5 then next upgrade the s7 is out that runs tizen you think they’ll shy away because of it. i personally dont think they will
So far I have found Samsung’s replacement apps and services for the stock Android ones to be lacking. Tizen will and is the same story, not as good as Android.
Even touchwiz is lacking.
True dat!
I love touchwiz. Very convenient, simple enough interface. Their stock apps do kinda sick though. Except s planner, very useful.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll46/dooley8625/GIFs/UGLY-1.gif?iact=hc&vpx=226&vpy=308&dur=3860&hovh=140&hovw=180&tx=136&ty=101&sig=112655062050406941203&ei=8rHsUOixDqWi4gT_hIDYCA&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=180&start=0&ndsp=67&ved=1t:429,r:11,s:0,i:120
Meh lol
Wait a minute,
Nope.
LOL…The rumor mill has been swirling about this for a long time now and Samsung had issued a statement saying that it’ll be on lower end devices that they give Tizen a go. That said, if they make the crazy jump to Tizen for all their devices, that’ll be the day that I no longer buy Samsung products…again. Samsung already tried their own OS and it failed miserably. I don’t expect that to change.
ROFLMAO!!!! basically… a beefed up GS4 SoC, GS3 Screen, GS5 heart beat and finger print sensor, GN3 faux leather….. How can you copy all these Android devices…… And NOT offer android?!?!
edit: my bad I thought I saw 2.0 GHz, but its 2.3ghz, so its a lower clocked GS5 SoC….
Dude the devices being copied are all Samsung designs, this doesn’t have to offer android if the particular OEM is biting off itself
It looks like a Motorola also.
Are the “geniuses” at Samsung stupid enough to think that people will just switch os’, I have a lot of money tied up in Android with apps, movies and music. There’s no way that I’m going to lose all of that to give tizen a try.
You probably should have mentioned that this phone is headed to Russia and not the US. Most of the new and upcoming devices running OSes other than Android(Tizen, sailfish, FIreFox OS) are targeting low – mid phones and countries other than the US.
Something tells me there are so many sammy sheep, if Samsung did abandon android for Tizen, there would be alot of idiots follow them thinking there buying a different galaxy phone thinking it’s a new style of android….. Idiots in the world today
Pretty sure Samsung will keep using Android, as they are amazing inventing hardware, they are not that good creating software.
Bunch of FUD… there is no evidence to support the idea that Samsung is abandoning Android for their Galaxy line. Besides, if they drop the android OS, I’m sure they would lose millions of buyers. People know Android as the alternative to iOS.
Alternative to ios, dont you mean people know android is the best OS, around…… This guy. “Alternative” lol
Well, World wide yes. I meant from the US perspective where iOS is the most dominant.
Ha, you meant was…I still don’t see ios being so dominant here either.. I mean yes there are alot of Apple users but there are alot of android users, plus android also have alot of users that have entry level android phones as well. I don’t think ios is dominating hea anymore
Hmm, you may be right. I was under the impression iOS had 60% of the US market but it looks like its closer to 40% and Android has near 50%. Forbes has a good article on it. http://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckjones/2014/04/07/apples-u-s-smartphone-market-share-holding-steady-against-every-competitor/
The Android ecosystem is to strong.
This would be suicide. I can only imagine the sh*tstorm that would occur after millions of people ran out and bought the the Galaxy S6. Took it home only to find the Playstore missing. Fact is most people wouldn’t look for the version of Android the phone was running. They would simply look for the Galaxy moniker. Get home and go slam off, lol.
If I want to be locked into second-rate proprietary software, I’ll buy Sony.
I wonder if Touchwiz still sucks on their own natively made OS.
If they can’t get what is basically a launcher to not be a laggy POS then I don’t hold out much hopes for their entire OS. The best thing you can do with a Samsung phone is root it and put a stock or close to stock rom on it.
I don’t think Tizen will ever succeed.
I like the phone’s hardware design… looks a lot better than the Galaxy Bandaid or the Galaxy Foot (Galaxy tab 12.2)
Those commies sure love their brick looking devices. Very KGBish.
Looks like the LG Optimus Extreme!
Tizen will succeed eventually. Just wait and see.
With companies like LG making moves in the Android/smartphone space it’s foolish for Samsung to divide their attention right now.
I really don’t want to go back to the days of uninspired expensive apps. I bet they are going to say better battery life with tizen. Yea that might be true for a bare bones os. Heck if I never install apps or turn on my screen I’d have killer battery life too.
I bet tizen will flop
I see this phone being popular in South Korea perhaps, but nowhere else. You’re either on Apple or Windows (Which both hook best into their ecosystems) or Android (Which has it’s own ecosystem). All of which have large reliable support and integrate with what we use well. This is a power user’s point of view, though there’s something to be said where everyone can get the same app. I see Tizen having a HUGE problem with app support. Not that Windows is great, but there’s at least hope for an upside. Tizen? I can’t see one.
Well, if Samsung makes this ridiculously dumb move, my S5 will the last device I buy of their’s that I own. I will move on to either LG or Nexus.