The much-rumored Samsung Z1 is finally official, making its debut as the company's first smartphone running the Tizen operating system (OS).
Rumors of a Tizen-powered smartphone from Samsung have been making rounds for what seems like ages, and the handset has been highly anticipated. Back in early 2013, Samsung officially reckoned that it planned to launch a high-end Tizen smartphone later in the year, but nothing materialized in the end. Later on, a mid-range smartphone was set to launch in Russia last year, but that device got postponed as well.
The much-touted Tizen smartphone is now finally a reality with the new Samsung Z1, launched in India on Wednesday, Jan. 14. On the other hand, while some were expecting a higher-end device, the Z1 comes with rather modest specifications.
More specifically, the new Samsung Z1 sports a 4-inch WVGA display, a dual-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz, 768MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage capacity and microSD card support for additional memory. Other specs include a 3.1-megapixxel camera, a 1,500 mAh battery, and 3G connectivity. As the spec sheet itself suggests, the Samsung Z1 aims to be an affordable smartphone, selling for just 5,700 INR, i.e. just a little over $90.
Despite the low-end specifications, however, Samsung touts the smartphone's fast and fluid performance thanks to its Tizen platform.
"Built on the lightweight Tizen platform, the Samsung Z1 delivers a faster boot time and quick access to apps, along with enhanced web performance to offer users faster page loading times with decreased data usage. The Samsung Z1 is equipped with long-standing battery performance and also features 'Ultra Power Saving Mode' to ensure users can always stay connected, even at the minimal battery levels," Samsung touts in its announcement.
"The smartphone market in India is rapidly evolving, with many consumers using their device as their screen of choice for content including videos, television programs and video games, as well as a range of apps," said Mr. Hyun Chil Hong, President and CEO of Samsung India Electronics. "We have customized the Samsung Z1 to meet these unique, entertainment-focused needs of local Indian consumers for a personal and reliable mobile experience."
It remains to be seen, however, whether Tizen will be able to compete against proven platforms on the Indian market. Google's Android One platform is already targeting the same budget sector of the market, and has the advantage of more than one million Android apps already available.
Nevertheless, Samsung has been trying for a long time to push its Tizen OS on the smartphone market, and the Z1 finally marks the platform's expansion beyond the wearable segment.
