First Samsung Tizen OS Phone Launching In India
The Tizen OS was previously seen in their Wear technology, but Samsung have now raised the stakes by adding it to their smart phone range in the large Indian smart phone market.
Following delays near the end of the year, Samsung have released their new Samsung Z1 smart phone which has Tizen powered OS installed. The phone will go on sale shortly in India exclusively for $90 or Rs. 5,700.
Better Boot Times
Samsung trump the advancement in boot times over the Android operating system which is decidedly sluggish when first booting up especially on the lower-powered handsets.
Dual SIM
The popular inclusion of a dual SIM ensures that Indian consumers can access more than one network. It is known that 3G data is expensive for Indians who often turn off updates in order to save on bandwidth. The ability to swap between two cellular providers can help when one carrier is temporarily down or the package has been exhausted for one SIM but the other still has some credit or a valid subscription remaining for the month.
Specifications
The Samsung Z1 includes a 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor, a lightweight 768 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internet memory. There is also a microSD card slot for expandable storage up to 64 GB.
The 480 x 800 pixel resolution on a 4-inch display won't impress high-end buyers but is still a common resolution for the lower end of the market on Android devices. By comparison the Samsung Ace 3 has a 540p 4-inch display which was recently updated to the 4th iteration by the Korean company. There is a 1,500 mAh battery included in the Z1.
The handset comes in a choice of white, black or wine red color choices.
Media Content Access
Media content is a popular addition in India. The Samsung Z1 includes free access to premium content. This includes 80 live TV channels which can stream direct to the phone using either 3G or Wi-Fi connection via the Club Samsung media service. There is also access to a 270,000+ song library.
To appeal to the local Indian market and regional tastes, Samsung have partnered up with Hungama in India to provide access to two million Bollywood and English songs, plus 7,000 Bollywood and Hollywood films via Box TV and nexGTx. Free initially for the first 3 months of ownership of the Samsung Z1, buyers can choose whether to pay for more access at a cost of $28 / Rs. 1,750 per year thereafter.
How Does The Z1 Stack Up To The Competition?
How will the Z1 perform in the Indian market? Time will tell as the interest in dominating the Indian sub-continent hots up with many low cost smart phone choices. However, Samsung have done well to include local access to regional media content to appeal to young consumers.
The Xiaomi Redmi 1S runs with Android (Redmi 2 being released with 4G LTE) with its much greater app selection, a faster 1.6 Ghz dual-core processor and a 4.7-inch screen with 720p resolution. The cost is presently only five bucks / Rs. 300 more. There are also several Android One devices marketed within India too. Most do not offer the media content partnerships that Samsung has put in place though so it may depend on whether Indian consumers find this a major selling point or not. The level of education for consumers about what handsets are available to them may also be a sticking point.
Tizen From Watches and Smart TV to Smartphones
The upgrade from smart devices to smart phones is an interesting evolution for the Tizen OS from Samsung. The lack of developed app market will be a major hurdle for the company. A number of wearable devices use Tizen and they can draw reference to that but few consumers currently own a wearable watch, especially in India, so a tie-in is likely to fail. As such, the Samsung Z1 represents an interesting move for the company.
