Samsung today announced the Z1, its first smartphone to run the Tizen platform. Tizen is Samsung’s homegrown operating system and its arrival has been delayed a number of times over the last 18 months.
The device is an entry-level smartphone and will initially be sold in India for the equivalent of $92. The Tizen OS includes a browser optimized for low-date usage as well as messaging and other core features.
Samsung loaded the phone with media apps, too. For example, Samsung partnered with Hungama.com to provide access to Bollywood content, and included a service called Joy Box for other music and video content. Some of the hardware specs include a 4-inch WVGA display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor with 768MB of RAM, and 4GB of internal storage with support for microSD memory cards up to 64GB.
The phone has a 3.1-megapixel main camera and a VGA user-facing camera with software for assisting in selfies. The Z1 has an emergency alert that is triggered when the power button is pressed four times in a row. It alerts the owner’s top contacts and includes GPS data for location. Samsung also added its Private Mode for storing protected files, and included antivirus software to warn against malware.
The Z1 goes on sale today. Samsung didn’t immediately say if the Z1 will be sold in other regions. If it is, the Z1 and other Tizen-based phones will likely be restricted to emerging markets.
