Samsung is having a very busy 2013 and things aren't going to slow down anytime soon. Samsung just released the Samsung Galaxy S4, the Galaxy S4 mini is on the way, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is expected to be unveiled at IFA in September. What we haven't heard too much about are the non-Android smartphones Samsung plans on releasing, and this doesn't mean Windows Phone 8 smartphones. Samsung is getting ready to release two smartphones running Tizen OS, a mobile operating system created by Samsung and Intel. It's a direct competitor to Android, iOS, Windows Phone 8 and BlackBerry 10.
It is believed that Samsung is very serious about making Tizen a huge success, because the company reportedly wants to distance itself from Google and Android. It is widely believed that Samsung believes that Google's purchase of Motorola, a direct competitor to Samsung, is a conflict of interest. Samsung believes it has made Android the success that it is. And yet it is very likely that, just as Nexus smartphones receive the latest and greatest version of Android when Google releases it, the Motorola X Phone and Google's Nexus 5 will hoard the best, while Samsung and other Android licensees have to wait to test out any new updates.
With Tizen, Samsung is the only boss and it has already been hard at work on two smartphones. The codenames for the smartphones have leaked in Tizen developer documentations; they are being called the Samsung I8805 Redwood and the Samsung I8800 Melius. The Redwood will reportedly be the high-end Tizen smartphone with a 4G LTE radio, while the Melius is expected to be a mid-range device with a 3G radio. Both smartphones have been confirmed to be running the latest version of Tizen OS 2.1, which is codenamed Magnolia.
A Samsung VP recently confirmed in an interview when his company plans to release its first Tizen smartphone; it sounds like he's referring to the Redwood:
"The Tizen phone will be out in August or September, and this will be in the high-end category. The device will be the best product equipped with the best specifications."
According to rumors, the smartphones will initially launch in the U.S. and then will be followed by a release in Europe. If true, expect Sprint to be an official partner, since the carrier has already pledged to support and carry Tizen smartphones. It's unclear if there really is room for yet another mobile operating system, but as we all know, Samsung has never been shy about releasing as many smartphones as possible.
