Samsung Electronics‘ plan to merge its proprietary mobile OS Bada with Linux-based open-source OS Tizen has been wide known. The Electronics giant is seeking an alternative to Google’s Android in its phones. However, the big question is, will the new OS evolve quickly enough to compete with Android? Whether it can compete or not, one thing is sure, it’ll have to do better than Nokia and Palm just to survive alone. Both of these platforms failed with developers and device makers in a market largely dominated by Google and Apple.
Tizen is a Linux based open-source platform, and successor to Intel and Nokia‘s MeeGo . Support from major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like Samsung gives Tizen an upper hand, opines IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo.
“With a strong leadership from a major vendor such as Samsung, I think the OS may have a chance, as most vendors based on Android now are looking for an alternative to Google’s dependency,” he said.
Android, on the other hand, have a large OEM support, including Samsung. This huge support has resulted in a more than 50% market share for Android. This dominance, however, somewhat faded after Google unveiled its $12.5 billion offer for phone maker Motorola Mobility last year.
Samsung, the No.1 smartphone manufacturer in the world, clearly wants out from Android. The company is strengthening its push for Tizen OS, joining hands with Intel, while many other OEMs like Huawei have pledged support for the OS.
Tizen-Bada
The joint venture between Intel and Samsung, will be named Tizen. The open-source platform is aimed for devices like smartphones, tablets, Internet-enabled TVs, netbooks and in-vehicle infotainment systems. Tizen is still in development, with its predecessor MeeGo used in a few devices, including Nokia’s N9 smartphone.
Android accounted for 53% of the global smartphone market in the third quarter of 2011. Bada, on the other hand, had a share of just 2.2%, still ahead of Microsoft‘s Windows Phone, which Nokia picked as its sole future platform. Samsung’s dominance in smartphone market could help Tizen to evolve and grab a foothold of its own pretty quickly. But there’s still a huge risk of failing if it does not offer other manufacturers the opportunity to have their input.
