Samsung is ramping up its preparations to release products based on the new Tizen operating system after it announced plans to introduce an SDK (software development kit) for smart TV products from next month.
The Korean company has already shipped devices built on the Linux-based operating system — its Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo smartwatches — and the release of the beta of the Samsung TV SDK will give developers the chance to get hands-on with the software. Samsung says the beta includes a Smart Interaction feature, which allows hand gesture- and voice-based commands, and multi-screen options for linking up with mobiles and wearable device — though did not say when the TVs would go on sale to consumers.
The Wall Street Journal last month reported that Samsung was preparing to launch its first Tizen smartphones in Russia and India, while also hinting a smart TV product was in the pipeline. Those mobile devices are yet to arrive, but today’s news is confirmation that Samsung is at least planning Tizen smart TVs — the company aborted planned Tizen smartphone launches last year, so there’s no guarantee these TVs will arrive for sure.
The Tizen TV SDK will be available to download at Samsungdforum.com from “early July.”
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Related: Samsung says it will launch Tizen phones before August, but Android still its ‘main business’
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