Samsung Electronics has chosen India as the first spot to start selling its new Tizen smartphone.
The device, called the Samsung Z1, launched Wednesday and runs on version 2.3 of the Tizen operating system, bringing with it a variety of features like a 4-inch WVGA PLS screen and a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor 768 MB RAM, according to TechCrunch. Four GB of storage (expandable to up to 64GB through a micro SD card) and support for dual SIMs is also included.
Hyun Chil Hong, president and CEO of Samsung in India, said the Korean tech giant created the Z1 to "meet [the] unique, entertainment-focused needs of local Indian consumers." Such needs are currently met by Samsung's "Joy Box" package that comes with free access to content from Club Samsung.
The launch follows Samsung's announcement in June that it would release its first Tizen phone in Russia in the third quarter of 2014, but that phone never came, PCWorld reported. The India launch for the phone was also reported to have been delayed.
Additional features include a VGA camera with face detection software on the front, a 3.1 megapixel camera on the back and a 1500mAh battery that Samsung says will play video for seven hours and let you talk for eight hours.
The Z1 will be competing with a variety of similar Android Phones in India, TechCrunch reported. Samsung will have to overcome several obstacles in its quest to make the phone popular, such as its moderate features and the Tizen platform's lack of compatible apps.
Samsung fans in India can get the Z1, which is available in black, white and wine red, now for 5,700 rupees ($92).
