Samsung Z1 Tizen Smartphone Scoring High Marks In Emerging Markets
Samsung had big plans for its home brewed Tizen operating system. The idea was to storm the mobile world with its own OS and become less reliant on Google's Android platform in the process. It was an ambitious goal that was made even more difficult to attain due to delays and a seeming lack of interest, though there's still hope for Tizen.
Data collected by Counterpoint Research shows that the Samsung Z1, a Tizen-based smartphone that sells for $92, was the best selling handset in Bangladesh in the first quarter of 2015. The report didn't list the total number of sales, and we'll concede that Bangladesh isn't big market, but that's also the point -- it shows that there's promise for Tizen in emerging markets.
"Surprisingly, Samsung Tizen based Z1 expanded its reach beyond India and got off to a positive start in Bangladesh, initial sell-in remained healthy and was the number one smartphone model in the entire country," Counterpoint Research noted.
To put the finding into perspective, Bangladesh's population sits at 156 million. Feature phones are most popular in the area, with smartphones making up 21 percent of all phones sold in the country. However, what's also promising for Samsung is that smartphone sales in the first quarter of 2015 were up 17 percent compared to the same quarter a year ago in Bangladesh.
What this all means is that Tizen may have a future, one that Samsung can build upon. It's not likely to challenge Android on a global scale, but it might be able to carve out some victories in select markets around the world.
Data collected by Counterpoint Research shows that the Samsung Z1, a Tizen-based smartphone that sells for $92, was the best selling handset in Bangladesh in the first quarter of 2015. The report didn't list the total number of sales, and we'll concede that Bangladesh isn't big market, but that's also the point -- it shows that there's promise for Tizen in emerging markets.
"Surprisingly, Samsung Tizen based Z1 expanded its reach beyond India and got off to a positive start in Bangladesh, initial sell-in remained healthy and was the number one smartphone model in the entire country," Counterpoint Research noted.
To put the finding into perspective, Bangladesh's population sits at 156 million. Feature phones are most popular in the area, with smartphones making up 21 percent of all phones sold in the country. However, what's also promising for Samsung is that smartphone sales in the first quarter of 2015 were up 17 percent compared to the same quarter a year ago in Bangladesh.
What this all means is that Tizen may have a future, one that Samsung can build upon. It's not likely to challenge Android on a global scale, but it might be able to carve out some victories in select markets around the world.
