Tizen 1.0 UI, browser, apps revealed in video
updated 07:20 pm EDT, Fri May 11, 2012
Scalable OS feature set shown off in conference video
Since Tizen, an in-house alternative to Android was unveiled by Intel and Samsung last year, speculation has abounded as to the ultimate fate of the fledgling operating system. First, Samsung announced a merger between Tizen and Bada; then Samsung backpedalled on that statement, giving itself room to maneuver. Now a video has emerged from The Handheld Blog, showing version 1.0 of the Tizen OS in action, and running on a Samsung prototype phone.
The video shows Tizen, which is said to be scalable from smartphones up through Internet-aware televisions, running on an ARM-powered reference device provided to developers by Samsung. The creator of the video (seen below) notes that the device features a 4.65-inch, 1280x720 HD Super AMOLED screen. The device features a 1.2GHz dual-core A9 chip and has 1GB of RAM, as well as an eight-megapixel camera.
The UI appears to be based in part on TouchWiz and Bada, Samsung's own proprietary operating system. Core apps on the device are all HTML5-based, and task switcher, video player, media gallery, contacts list, and music player apps are visible on the device's screen. The video's creator notes support for NFC technology and push notifications, as well as FM radio. Other aspects of the OS, including the dialer and contacts app, seem quite similar to those available on Samsung's Android-powered offerings.
The web browser shown on the device scrolls smoothly, with a gesture-driven interface for switching between open pages. The browser appears to be highly HTML5-compliant, scoring 408 points (plus 15 bonus points) out of 500 on The HTML5 Test.
Should Tizen emerge on a Samsung device, it is possible that it would make an appearance on the Samsung GT-i9500. The GT-i9500 is expected to sport a Super AMOLED HD Plus 1280x720 display, allowing for 50 percent more subpixels than the PenTile display used in the Galaxy S III's 1280x720 HD panel. [via The Handheld Blog]
