The first Tizen-powered smartphone, dubbed the Samsung Z1, has posed for the camera in some new images leaked ahead of its official debut.
Samsung has been expected for quite some time now to launch a smartphone powered by its own Tizen OS instead of Android, in what is generally seen as a move to loosen its reliance on Google. The company confirmed a while back that it does indeed intend to launch a Tizen-powered handset, but such a device has yet to see the light of day.
At first, Samsung's Tizen-powered smartphone was expected to be a high-end offering and arrive as the Samsung Z. Subsequent reports then claimed that the handset would in fact come with mid-range specifications on board, while the latest leaks revealed that it would in fact be an entry-level smartphone with low-end specs, launching as the Samsung Z1.
Just recently word came out that Samsung was planning to launch its first Tizen OS smartphone next month, on Jan. 18, with India as its initial launch market. The purported handset had already leaked in a couple of photos, giving us a glimpse into what to expect, and now more images have made their way online.
The latest leaked images come from the same tipster, Manish Khatri, aka. @MaheshTelecom, aiming to give the world a better look at the purported Samsung Z1.
Based on rumors and reports so far, the Samsung Z1 is expected to sport a 4-inch display with a modest resolution of 800 x 480 pixels and pack a 1.2GHz dual-core processor under the hood, paired with 768MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage capacity, expandable via microSD.
Other rumored specs of the Samsung Z1 include a 3-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front shooter, and a 1,500 mAh battery to keep things up and running. Connectivity options reportedly consist of Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, 3G, and GPS. The handset will reportedly feature dual-SIM support and run Tizen 2.3 OS out of the box.
While nothing is officially confirmed at this point, the Samsung Z1 is expected to make its official debut next month in India, followed by China and South Korea, and sport a very affordable price tag. Until Samsung makes a formal announcement, however, take all leaks with a grain of salt.
