Tizen-Powered Devices Out in 2012 Q3/Q4 from Samsung and HTC

Tizen, the free and open source platform based on the Linux operating system has yet to make its entrance on the smartphone market. 

In fact, Tizen has more potential than other mobile platforms, as the operating system is expected to power netbooks, smart TVs, in-vehicle infotainment systems and other devices. The first Tizen-based smartphone, Samsung GT-I9500 leaked about ten days ago, but no details on the phone’s availability were unveiled at that time. While we already know that multiple handset manufacturers plan to launch Tizen-based smartphones, we don’t have any official confirmation on whether these will come this year or the next. However, it appears that Digitimes claims, citing sources “from PC player,” that Tizen OS will be officially launched in late June, while the first devices powered by this mobile operating system will arrive in the second half of the year.

According to the latest hearsay, Samsung and HTC will be among the first to release Tizen-based smartphones, while Acer and Asus will also launch Tizen-powered netbooks “before the end of the third quarter.” Still, these netbook will only be introduced in emerging markets and meant to check the platform’s popularity before the actual rollout. Tizen OS is strongly supported by many handset manufacturers and carriers, including Vodafone, Sprint, NTT Docomo, Orange, SK Telecom and Telefonica. The upcoming operating system is the result of the collaboration between Intel and Samsung, as both companies decided to merge their MeeGo and LiMo departments. Both companies are currently working closely with Linux Foundation. It is also worth mentioning that the Tizen project has won more supporters than originally expected, including big companies such as Panasonic, HTC and NEC. 

Keep in mind that while the development is said to be open, “membership in most project teams is invite-only,” and development of alpha build 1 was not a public effort, Linux Foundation claims. Stay tuned for more updates on the matter.

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