Tizen, the secret weapon of Samsung to challenge Apple and Android

Samsung, the world of mobile phones and one seller of Android smartphones, will attempt to break the duopoly of Apple and Google (15% and 75% market share in smartphones IDC) in operating systems mobile devices. Korean has announced that it will launch in 2013 with several devices running a new open source OS named Tizen. According to the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, the first smartphone equipped with Tizen would be unveiled in February at Mobile World Congress, to be marketed by the leading Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo. An elaborated version of Tizen is expected this month, according to Forbes .

What is Tizen?

Tizen is a Linux-based OS (like Android), developed by a consortium created in late 2011, involving Samsung, Intel, Vodafone, Orange, Huawei, Panasonic, Telefonica, South Korea's SK Telecom, Sprint, NEC and NTT DoCoMo. Initially, the first materials to be launched in mid-2012, but developments have been delayed.

Tizen is based in part on the work of Intel on MeeGo, the OS that Nokia developed with until its abandonment in 2011. This multiplatform OS is designed to run smartphones, tablets, connected TVs but also, laptops and embedded automotive systems. It builds on the HTML 5 to seduce developers on all platforms and will have an app store like the App Store and Google Play.

Why develop a new OS?

Distanced by ARM and Qualcomm mobile platforms, Intel seeks to be more present on these devices, its weakness in this sector it is very damaging financially and Exchange. Samsung, meanwhile, seek to reduce its dependence on Google since the acquisition of rival Motorola, Bloomberg analysis. Samsung sells smartphones running Windows Phone 8, Ativ S, but realizes almost all of its sales of Android phones.

When you see the difficulty of Microsoft to get a place on the mobile OS market, if there is a strong enough actor to try to impose a new OS, it is the world's number one mobile. The time manages to giant computer capable of designing both the hardware and software, such as Apple.

For Samsung, it is a logical evolution. Especially since it will not only equip its Tizen smartphones (perhaps future Galaxy S4), but also all other connected devices. In addition, he has experience a completely prorpiétaire OS, Bada. Google, for its part, can not take the risk of being cut by the spread of Android Samsung replicating by retaliation.

Bada is that?

Samsung already has a proprietary OS, Bada, launched in 2010, his team smartphones entry and mid-range sold in Europe and emerging markets. It should drop to Tizen Bada, although nothing is confirmed yet. The latest version of Bada date of 2011, and it seems that the OS - which has had some successes in France as through the distribution of Samsung Wave 1 euro operators - is not at all a priority for the Asian group.

Tizen, the first of a new breed of alternative OS

2013 will be the year of new mobile OS alternative. After Tizen, we should see the first model in Sailfish, designed by Finnish Jolla(founded by former Nokia). Jolla plans to release a high-end smartphone in the first quarter . Its OS, Meego derived, was developed for Europe, North Africa and China

The first quarter should be responsible since it is also the year that is set to Chinese ZTE to release a smartphone OS Firefox, a project that brings Mozilla and Telefonica. This OS, also turned to HTML 5, is emerging markets. ZTE is the fifth largest manufacturer of mobile phones, with about 5% of global market share according to IDC.

It would also have seen come on the market in Acer smartphone OS Aliyun Alibaba, but the launch was postponed. Google opposes, saysWall Street Journal , as would be derived from Aliyun Android but not compatible with it, and Acer, Android PARTNAIRE, would not be allowed to sell non-compatible devices.

Finally, Ubuntu this week presented its proposed mobile OS, intended to serve the smartphone market as well as low cost companies. The smartphones will be equipped will indeed designed to serve CPU when they are connected to a keyboard and a screen.The first models were announced for the end of 2013 or early 2014.