Samsung Has Big Plans for Tizen OS, Including TVs in 2014

Given the success Samsung has had with Android, it's not really surprising that it isn't pushing its own Tizen operating system (co-developed with Intel) as aggressively as it could be. This might even be the first you've heard of Tizen, which is a Linux-based OS designed for a range of devices, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, in-vehicle infotainment setups, and more. So, what does the future hold for Tizen?

In an interview with Die Welt, a German language publication, Samsung co-CEO Boo-Keun Yoon said that Tizen is going to be used on some of the company's smartphones just like its TVs and home appliances, but declined to give a specific time frame. However, he did indicate that Tizen-based TVs could come out as early as next year.

Samsung TV

The ultimate goal will be to create an ecosystem of connected devices. However, there doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency to push the platform. Samsung recently delayed the introduction of its first Tizen-based smartphone until the fourth quarter of this year, a move that made people suspicious of whether Samsung was really gung-ho about its OS.

Samsung insists it is. While speaking with CNET last month, another of Samsung's co-CEOs, JK Shin, was adamant that Tizen is more than a "simple alternative to Android."