Samsung had planned to launch the first Tizen-powered smartphones in 2013 but it was not meant to be. The release date seemed to continually slip. As late as this summer, Samsung was still hoping to launch at least one device this year. Tizen’s development has taken far longer than Samsung expected and it may have also delayed the launch to ensure that there would be plenty of apps available at launch. Be that as it may, it now appears that everything is finally falling into place for a launch in early 2014. According to ITNews, devices powered by Tizen will be unveiled the day before Mobile World Congress opens.
Invitations have reportedly been sent out to an event where attendees will be given “an exclusive sneak preview of the newest Tizen devices as well as an opportunity to learn about the major milestones that the Tizen project has hit since last year’s event.” The invitation does not explicitly say that smartphones will be part of the presentation though. But the timing of the event suggests that it’s a good bet.
Samsung and other Tizen backers, including Intel, could be running out of time. As Geoff Blaber, vice president research, Americas, at CCS Insight, told ITNews, “It’s pretty simple. At Mobile World Congress it has to show commercial devices.”
Orange, which committed to selling Tizen devices at last year’s MWC, last month said that it was now reassessing its strategy. While it is still working with the Tizen community on its market strategy, such a statement could also be a sign that it is also reconsidering its decision to get involved. As BlackBerry demonstrated this year, launching devices based on a new operating system is fraught with difficulties.
Do you believe we will see Tizen-powered smartphones at MWC 2014? Let us know below.