Say hello to the Samsung Z1, the first ever Tizen-powered smartphone in the world. Introduced to the Indian market at a price of Rs 5,700, the Z1 brings with it mid-tier specs and features aimed at the majority of consumers in the world’s second-fastest growing mobile market.
So what does the Z1 get in terms of specs? It comes with a four-inch WVGA PLS screen, and is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 768 MB RAM. There’s a 3.1-megapixel camera on the rear, and a limited VGA camera on the front. The phone runs version 2.3 of the Tizen operating system, and comes with 4GB of on-device storage which can be expanded by up to 64GB via a micro SD card. It supports dual SIMs, as is commonplace with devices in India.
Originally pitched nearly two years ago as an alternative to the stranglehold that Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS has on the smartphone industry, Tizen’s rocky road to market underscores the difficulties of creating a new mobile platform.
“The smartphone market in India is rapidly evolving, with many consumers using their device as their screen of choice for content including videos, television programs and video games, as well as a range of apps,” Hyun Chil Hong, CEO of Samsung India Electronics, said in a statement. “We have customized the Samsung Z1 to meet these unique, entertainment-focused needs of local Indian consumers for a personal and reliable mobile experience.”
Samsung Z1 owners will have access to more than 270,000 songs that can be streamed or downloaded, as well as more than 80 live TV channels through the digital entertainment store Club Samsung. A free entertainment package called “Joy Box” will give Z1 users access to music, movies, and TV programs.
