Samsung’s Tizen-Based Z Handset Poses Future Challenge to Android

by Don Reisinger

If not for Tizen, the Samsung Z wouldn’t be getting so much attention. Tizen is an open-source operating system that could very well pose a mobile market challenge to Android one day for supremacy—or at least that’s what Samsung and Intel hope. Tizen comes with the typical feature set that people expect in a smartphone today, such as a built-in browser and calendar app. But it’s also developed in part by the Linux Foundation, and some could argue that because of that, its code is more “open” than the alternative, Android. Either way, Tizen is a nice-looking platform, but it has a long way to go to catch Android.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is the company’s flagship smartphone. And while the Samsung Z comes with some nice features, like a 4.8-inch 720 HD display, it can’t match the Galaxy S5 on several levels. For one thing, the Galaxy S5 has a bigger, better screen and features a much nicer design than anything else Samsung is peddling right now. The Samsung Z is the company’s flagship Tizen device right now, but it’s not on the same level as the Galaxy S 5.

For overall storage, the Samsung Z is a little short on options. The device comes with just 16GB of internal memory—there’s no 32GB option available at launch—and can only take a microSD card with up to 64GB of storage space. While that might combine for a nice amount of storage for some, it’s far below Android-based flagship models on the market.

There is much of what one would expect from a Samsung device in the Z. The device has a 2.3GHz quad-core processor. It supports Near-Field Communication (NFC), and has full support for Bluetooth 4.0. The handset can also act as an IR remote and boasts a heart rate sensor for its S Health 3.0 integration.

Overall, the camera built into the Samsung Z appears to be quite nice. The rear-facing component has an 8-megapixel resolution while the front-facing option is 2.1 megapixels. The rear-facing camera allows for Panorama support, the ability to choose the “best photo” and has “Quick Shot” functionality for catching moments on the fly. The front-facing camera isn’t rated “selfie” like those from LG and HTC, but at 2.1 megapixels, it’ll do the trick for those snapping images of themselves.

Samsung has, of course, built its applications into the Z. As noted, the device comes with Samsung’s S Health 3.0 app, which tracks health information for the user. In addition, the software provides access to Samsung’s own application marketplace for Tizen programs. Samsung apps have a strong presence within Tizen.

There’s a huge question mark with the Samsung Z: its application marketplace. Samsung’s apps marketplace on Tizen is yet another place for developers to go to offer programs, and is somewhat light on available apps at the moment. To fix that, Samsung is launching “local app challenges” in Russia and other countries to boost the available apps. Samsung has also offered millions of dollars in prizes and funding to coax developers to Tizen. We’ll have to see if it works.

Surprisingly, Samsung hasn’t gone all out to design a standout Tizen-based smartphone. The Z resembles devices dating back to 2012 in some ways, with its heavy bezel above and below the screen and simple, black plastic finish. Compared with the Galaxy S5, the Samsung Z can’t compete on design.

Samsung has built an important feature into the Z that might appeal to enterprise customers more than any others: Ultra Power Saving Mode. The feature lets the phone stay operational even when its battery is nearly entirely drained. However, when in that state, the device can only be used for emergencies and other features built into the handset are stripped away. It’s an important feature for travelers who might need to make one important call before the handset dies.

The Samsung Z is launching in Russia to kick things off. Samsung has been tight-lipped on future launch plans, but it’s expected to bring the device to other test markets at some point. It appears Samsung wants to gauge interest in Tizen in Russia and then eventually bring Tizen-based models to other markets in the future.