Samsung will launch "at least" two smartphones running on the Tizen mobile OS by Q2 2014 as part of an effort to break out of the Android universe, senior VP Yoon Han-kil tells Reuters.
According to the interview Samsung wants build an own Tizen-centric ecosystem-- thus challenging the iOS/Android duopoly and opening a 3rd party app and services revenue stream.
However Tizen-based ambitions have seen setbacks from both internal and external sources. A Samsung-Google patent cross-licensing agreement has been seen as a tightening of Samsung's ties with Android, while "poor market conditions" have hampered prospects in at least some regions.
That said, Yoon Han-kil insists Samsung will use either Tizen or Windows in markets Android cannot address.
The first Samsung Tizen smartphones will be a high-end and a mid-tier model. They will join the other devices from the company running on the open-source Linux-based OS, namely the NX300M smart camera and the Galaxy Gear 2 smartwatch.
Reuters also covers Samsung's vision for long-term mobile market growth. "The slowing high-end market is indeed a concern for most manufacturers," Yoon Han-kil says. "[W]e're trying out a lot of new things like wearables, convergence with home devices and cars. I think there'll be synergies here some day and it'll eventually help us increase premium product sales longer term."
In the meantime Samsung will retain its multiple device variant strategy in order to appeal to market tiers. One such device in the pipeline is a "new form factor" Galaxy Note, to launch sometime on H2 2014.
Go Samsung Executive Sees Q2 Rollout for Tizen Phone (Reuters)
