Articles about Tizen

Samsung's most popular smartphones may run Android, but the company also has handsets that run on other platforms. The new Z4 is a perfect example, being powered by the up and coming Tizen.

Tizen is nowhere near as popular as Android is, but it is growing in popularity. In the smartwatch space it has edged Android Wear in terms of market share, which is a good sign for Samsung. But, getting back to the Z4, what does the new device have to offer?

Continue reading →

The Samsung Gear S3 is a very interesting smartwatch. Unlike many other watches it runs Tizen OS, instead of Android Wear. Software aside, it has great specifications and features -- it has GPS and is IP68-certified, making it great for those that live active lifestyles. Of course, less active folks can use it too. It doesn't look like a fitness-focused device, however, and it would look good with both casual and fancy clothes. In other words, it wouldn't look out of place in any situation.

Today, the versatile watch gets even more so, thanks to three new smartwatch watchfaces -- Outdoor, Travel, and Sports. You don't have to wait to try them, as they are available to download immediately.

Continue reading →

Android Wear devices are hardly lighting the world on fire. Heck, smartwatches in general are not particularly popular. With that said, some consumers find real value in more basic wrist-worn wearables such as the fitness-focused Fitbit. Still, there are fans of more advanced smartwatches, such as Apple Watch, too.

While Samsung has created Android Wear devices in the past, its new focus is Tizen-based "Gear" wearables that work with its Galaxy devices -- and other smartphones running Google's mobile OS. Today, Samsung announces iOS support for three of its Tizen-based Gear devices -- Gear S2, S3, and Fit2. Will iPhone users really pick this over the Apple Watch, though?

Continue reading →

Android and iOS are the only two mobile operating systems that matter. That's a problem for consumers. Why? Well, while duopolies at least give them some choice, being limited to just two options isn't ideal. Sure, there are other options like Ubuntu for phones and Windows 10 Mobile, but neither are lighting the world on fire.

Consumers aside, phone manufacturers don't have access to Apple's iOS, leaving Android as the only viable option. In other words, for OEMs, there is almost no choice. Samsung is apparently not satisfied with being limited to Google's mobile operating system. The company has been experimenting with devices running a different Linux-based open source mobile OS -- Tizen. Today, it launches the first ever 4G smartphone running that OS. The catch? Besides a small 4 inch screen and 5 megapixel camera, it is only available in India.

Continue reading →

The "wearable" product segment is a bit curious. Quite often, it feels like smartwatches, bands, and more are merely solutions in search of a problem. For many consumers, they can end up being nothing more than money spent to get notifications on their wrists.

The one clear usage for wearables, however, is fitness. Whether you are an active exercise aficionado, or someone just wanting to shed some pounds, a fitness tracker or other activity-based wearable can be a godsend. Today, Samsung announces two such products -- the Gear Fit2 wrist wearable and the Gear IconX wireless earbuds..

Continue reading →

Samsung has unveiled the second smartphone to use its own Tizen operating system, as the South Korean company attempts to chip away at Android’s market share.

The Samsung Z3 will be available from October 21 in India at a cost of approximately $130. Its predecessor, the Z1 (Samsung appears to have misplaced the Z2), only cost around $90, so it remains to be seen whether consumers will accept the price increase.

Continue reading →

The wearable market is not very mature. We are only starting to scratch the surface of what the future holds. For the time being, however, we pretty much have alerts and fitness tracking. Let's be honest, many computer and gadget nerds don't bother with exercise (prove me wrong, people), making the wearables a glorified alert screen. In other words, as fun as Apple Watch and Android Wear can be, they are very much version 1.0 of smartwatches.

While Samsung embraces Android Wear, its Tizen-based models, such as Samsung Gear S, have more functionality. Today, the company officially announces the beautiful successor -- the Gear S2. Users can even opt for a 3G model so they do not need Wi-Fi or to be tethered to a phone. Android Wear and Apple Watch can't do that...yet.

Continue reading →

Introducing a new platform comes with great challenges. It cannot successfully compete right away with established players, and it will take years to catch up. Gaining any real traction requires having lots of money to burn through, before turning a profit, let alone breaking even. The vast majority of consumers will be looking to buy the best products around, and emerging platforms do not often make the cut -- even longstanding players can struggle here.

So, it's a tough road ahead for Samsung as it tries to bring Tizen into mainstream. It is already used in some types of products -- like cameras and wearables -- but the real challenges come from popular categories, like smartphones. So far, Samsung only announced a Tizen-powered smartphone, but it didn't hit the market. Today, Samsung is at its second attempt, as it announces what is the first Tizen smartphone to actually hit store shelves. It's called Z1.

Continue reading →

One of the biggest weaknesses that a typical smartwatch has is that it relies on a smartphone to do most things it advertises. Answering a phone call? It has to be paired to a smartphone. Seeing Facebook notifications? It has to be paired to a smartphone. Reading your email? It has to be paired to a smartphone. The list goes on and on and on. You might just as well pick up your smartphone and do all those things; it just works.

Samsung has decided to do something about it, as, today, the South Korean maker unveils a smartwatch that does not have a smartphone addiction. That's because the new Gear S has its own cellular connection, which allows things like social notifications to be displayed without being paired to a smartphone. It's grown up. Who knows, it might even decide to move out of the smartphone's shadow one day and create its own path. It's got what it takes.

Continue reading →

Samsung may be associated with Android thanks to the success of its Galaxy smartphones and tablets, but the South Korean maker is also invested heavily in Tizen. The latter powers its new smartwatches and, via a software upgrade, older models as well. And, today, we can add a new device to the powered-by-Tizen list, the Samsung Z.

The Samsung Z is Samsung's first Tizen-based smartphone, which, on the outside, looks much like the company's premium Galaxy handsets. It features a physical home button, placed between two capacitive keys (home and menu), and a faux-leather back with stitching patterns, like on the popular Galaxy Note 3. It even borrows the now-obligatory gold color trim.

Continue reading →

For years, many consumers have wanted a futuristic watch like Dick Tracy -- a computer on their wrist. Sadly, the watch we all desire has yet to come to fruition. Sure, the Pebble series are cool and affordable, but arguably, very basic too. Last year, Samsung released the Android-based Galaxy Gear, which on paper looked great, but failed to light the world on fire.

Even though Samsung's first stab at a smartwatch was lackluster, it was assumed by many that a sequel would still be delivered. Today, Samsung announces that sequel, named the Gear 2, which has shocked the technology world. You see, the manufacturer has ditched both Android and the Galaxy moniker, its bread and butter, for this device. Instead, Samsung has opted for the newer and less-known, Linux-based, Tizen operating system. Will this finally be the smartwatch of which consumers have dreamed?

Continue reading →