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A Different Kind of Linux Smartphone: Samsung To Sell Tizen-Based Model Z

Posted by timothy on from the complicated-model dept.

As The Next Web reports, Samsung is finally bringing to market (in Russia, to start) a phone, the Samzung Z, running the Tizen OS. Like Android, Tizen is based on the Linux kernel, but it's intended for HTML5 apps rather than Android apps. It's not Samsung's first Tizen device, though; the second-generation of its Gear smart-watches are running Tizen as well. "Samsung earlier revealed plans for its first Tizen smartphones to be launched during its second quarter of business in 2014, which runs April to July, so it seems like smartphones other than Samsung Z could still be on their way. The Samsung executive said that Tizen devices could account for as much as 15 percent of Samsung’s mobile shipments per year, but Android will still be its main business."

13 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. Only thing I want to know: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    how hackable?

    1. Re: Only thing I want to know: by binarylarry · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's got an HTML5 userland, so you know the apps will be TOP NOTCH.

      --
      Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
    2. Re: Only thing I want to know: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      You can also use Qt for developing. Since Qt has an improving support for Android too, eventually developing cross-platform apps may become easier.

    3. Re: Only thing I want to know: by NotInHere · · Score: 4, Informative

      1st Android introduced a declarative (XML) way to write UIs (I admit I don't know whether this XML gets parsed by java or native code) and

      2nd There is no JVM in Android, its Dalvik VM. Google only took the language, but not the whole technology.

    4. Re: Only thing I want to know: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Java is one of the main obstacles in the development of efficient applications. Between the blatant lie of the code portability, the huge system requirements, and the lousy pre-baked code pieces every single developer is using it's only a matter of time before it causes the collapse of our civilization.

      Mark my words, some time in the near future all the Java-based appliances/phones/computers/blu-ray players, etc will get together and become Skynet. And in a shorter time lapse we will have hordes of T-1000s hunting us down the streets.

    5. Re: Only thing I want to know: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Where Bada went wrong is that they made a custom search with Google, creating Bada-Google. If they went with Microsoft, they would have had Bada-Bing

  2. Replicant by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    We need a good Replicant based Linux distribution that lets users replace their spyware laden operator's distro with a privacy perserving os that does everything a linux box can.

    http://www.replicant.us/

    1. Re:Replicant by gmuslera · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Tizen or Android, the problem are usually the drivers, not so easy to replace. Anyway, Tizen ecosystem is more pure linux than Android, so odds there should be better.

  3. screw Linux, try the Hurd phone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The Hurd-based GNUphone looks like a brick, feels like a brick, and is a brick. Sure you can talk into it, and everyone can call you on it, but they only call you crazy.

  4. A debian phone once more. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As someone who watched the 'community process' of the maemo/meego get ignored and decisions regarding the base OS/packaging system forces through by corporate/political types I'm glad to see at least one company producing a debian based phone.

    Access to the OS for C application development outside a VM, EFL/enlightenment as the native application toolkit and access to a QT port.

    HTML5 after that seems like an an necessary afterthought but at least your not running in a VM.

  5. Everyone without fail. by serviscope_minor · · Score: 4, Interesting

    So far, every attempt at producing a smartphone leads the people involved to believe that they willl be DIFFERENT and they will be able to make a phone which doesn't suck without native apps. So fat everyone else has learned the lesson eventually. Android learned it. Apple learned it. Microsoft have learned it. And the Tizen people will need to learn it to have any chance of success.

    --
    SJW n. One who posts facts.
  6. Re:I cooled off on Samsung... by markus_baertschi · · Score: 4, Informative

    I had a SGS2 and have a SGS4 now. They are fine phones. I want a replaceable battery and a SD card slot. This reduces the field for me a lot.

    For my wife I bought a Moto G and I suspect I will replace my SGS4 with a phone in the same class, once it needs to be replaced. Phones are rapidly approaching the phase where most middle class phones are good enough. Two years ago a high-end device was necessary for a good experience, these days this is no longer true.

    Life will become tougher for phone manufacturers.

  7. More Samsung ? by gripfin · · Score: 3, Insightful

    One problem with the last Samsung android phone I had was all the Samsung crap on it. Surely their own OS will be even worse ? Or maybe they plan to create a rival ecosystem to the google one (maps, mail, calendar, drive, now, their own chromebooks). Hmmm