Samsung, Intel's Tizen OS makes splashy intro at MWC

From CNET News.com: The upstart mobile operating system, shepherded into development by Samsung Electronics and Intel, made a splashy debut at an event at Mobile World Congress.

The operating system is seen as a potential alternative to the dominance of Android, and has been driven in part by demand by carriers for a more open OS that they can tinker with.

Beyond the two key players, the night was a celebration of other partners, including Huawei, which is joining the steering committee of the Tizen Association, and European wireless carrier Orange. Orange said that it has committed to selling Tizen phones from Samsung and Huawei this year.

NTT Docomo has committed to being the first carrier to sell a Tizen smartphone, and CNET earlier broke the story that the first Tizen phones, made by Samsung, would debut in July or August.

Kiyohito Nagata, managing director of strategic marketing for NTT Docomo and chairman of the Tizen Association, called it "the basement of the future success of the Tizen OS and ecosystem."

Executives from Orange and NTT Docomo both said the first Tizen phones would debut on the high end, which could be priced above $300. Orange said that Tizen phones would hit the emerging markets in 2014, where phones are typically priced under $100.

Samsung looks like it is putting a lot of stock in the operating system, which boasts a colorful history. Samsung is reportedly folding its own Bada operating system into Tizen, clearly seeing the potential in the OS. Hankil Yoon, an executive for Samsung, addressed the report, saying that the company hasn't yet made a decision on the fate of Bada, but noted that the two operating systems already share some assets.

View: Article @ Source Site