The new iteration of Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch might have booted out the Android operating system in favor of Tizen.
While Tizen might be struggling to push its way into the mobile device market, wearable gadgets might be its best medium to make it to the mainstream. The current version of the Galaxy Gear smartwatch was a flop as it was seen as expensive and bulky by consumers. The new model could change its fate. The Galaxy Gear 2 is expected to be a shot at redemption by by sporting a redesigned look that is aimed to be more fashionable, with a curved screen and slimmer body.
USA Today has reported that Tizen will be the software of choice, citing three sources familiar to the matter.
"Samsung will unveil the updated Gear watch, and a new HTML5 version of the Tizen operating system, at an event at the Mobile World Congress later this month in Barcelona, the people said. They did not want to be identified because Samsung's plans are not yet public," the report read.
The shift to the open-source software is not a surprising move for Samsung as it tries to look for another option aside from Android. This will also help it find a long-term solution to be independent from Android as the operating system o choice for its handsets and tablets, especially the Galaxy and Galaxy Note line.
There are also speculations that Tizen might help the Gear smartwatch be more energy efficient and help it to be at least at par, in that aspect, with smartwatches that are expected to be rolled out sometime later this year by Google and Apple. The long rumored iWatch might even have a life-saving sensor that predicts heart attacks.
The new software may also give Samsung some leeway in putting a lower sticker price for the wearable technology and give consumers an alternative to the Pebble smartwatch.
"The new Gear smartwatch operating system will be an HTML5 version of Tizen, according to two people familiar with the situation. HTML5 is the latest version of a language and broader technology that is used to develop websites and Web-based applications," the USA Today report added.
Using HTML5 will have its pros and cons for the device. While it may attract more developers, the reputation of such apps is not so good given that they have been outperformed by native apps running on iOS or Android. There may also be compatibility issues.
Will Samsung introduce several versions of the Galaxy Gear 2 during this year's MWC? Stay tuned.
