Samsung’s Galaxy devices have all been powered by Google Android but that could be about to change. According to Digitimes, the Korean manufacturer could be getting ready to launch a Tizen-powered Galaxy smartphone in the “near future.” The device is codenamed i9300 but little else is known about it at this point.
The report adds that “sources from smartphone players” expect that it will be difficult to raise Tizen’s profile in a market dominated by Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems. While customers may not be familiar with Tizen, the Galaxy S brand is well known and Samsung may be banking on that to increase early adoption. It just so happens that a Tizen-powered Galaxy S III variant received its Wi-Fi certification (PDF certification) this week, giving credence to this theory.
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Intel, one of Tizen’s backers, could also use such a device to grow its influence in the smartphone space. It could throw some additional marketing muscle behind such a device (especially if it’s powered by one of its processors) to help establish Tizen as an alternative to Android and other mobile operating systems.
Earlier rumours indicated that Acer, ASUS and HTC also had Tizen-powered devices in development but little information about any of these has surfaced since.
Read more: Digitimes and Wi-Fi Alliance