US$90 Samsung Z1 to launch in India - 1.2 billion Indians up for Grabs as Tizen OS hints competition against US$100 Google Android One

2015 is truly the Year of the Sheep and Samsung is looking to become the new shepherd in India with Tizen.

Word on the Street is that Samsung plans to Launch the Tizen OS smartphone, the Samsung Z1 on Sunday January 18^th 2014 in India as reported in the article “Tizen-based Samsung Z1 leaks, Launches in India on Jan 18”, published 21 December, 2014, GSM Arena and “SAMSUNG’S Z1 TIZEN PHONE MAY FINALLY LAUNCH ON JANUARY 18”, published December 22, 2014 By Andy Boxall, DigitalTrends.

Apparently their previous planned Launch in November 2014 never occurred as mentioned in my Geezam blog article entitled “Samsung Tizen to be reincarnated in Diwali Festival of Lights as Q4 looks like a Bleak Christmas Carol”.

This was confirmed by the Wall Street Journal, who mentioned that they had even missed another possible Launch date of Wednesday December 10^th 2014 as stated in the article “Samsung’s No-Show in India the Latest Blow to Tizen Ambitions”, published Dec 11, 2014, Wall Street Journal albeit Samsung had never officially issued any invitation to any such Launch event.

So these latest set of rumours, being as these are basically unsubstantiated rumours, comes to you courtesy of a twitter post by Mahesh Telecom Twitter Account.

Now that you’ve had your fill, on to the specs of this Samsung Z1 smartphone running Tizen OS that’s yet to Launch in India!

US$90 Samsung Z1 – Specs leaked by Mahesh Telecom suggest multiple models

Albeit Samsung is yet to officially confirm this date, the latest leaked specs as detailed in the article “Tizen based Samsung Z1 might be announced in India on December 10”, published December 2014, by Asif S., Sammobile appear to be as follows:

1.      OS: Tizen OS

2.      Screen: 4" WVGA 

3.      Processor: Dual­Core 1.2GHz processor

4.      RAM: 512 MB

5.      Rear-Facing Camera: 3MP

6.      Internet Connectivity: 3G support and Wi­Fi

Further leaked specs from pictures take by Mahesh Telecom Twitter Account indicate that this may be a basic model, with possibly a second Samsung Z1 that has slight better specs as shown below.

Analyzing these pictures, the specs of possibly a second upgraded Samsung Z1, possibly an upgrade are as follows:

1.      OS: Tizen OS

2.      Screen: 4" WVGA 

3.      Processor: Dual­Core 1.2GHz Processor

4.      Internal Memory: 4 GB

5.      External Memory:  32GB via microSD Card Slot

6.      RAM: 1 GB

7.      Rear-Facing Camera: 3MP

8.      Front Facing Camera: VGA

9.      SIM: Dual

10.  Mobile internet: 3G,

11.  Internet Connectivity: Wi-Fi b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct

12.  Features: A-GPS, FM Radio

These specs have seem somewhat of a downgrade from those mentioned in my previous Geezam blog article entitled “Samsung Z running Tizen OS fails to enter Russian Market hints at Caribbean and Latin American Launch”. The price is rumoured to be US$90 unlocked and no 2-year contract as India isn’t exactly a Developed World Country

But multiple models or versions of the same Samsung Z1 may be in the offing, suggesting that Samsung has not one, but possibly a new line of smartphones being prepped for Launch in India!

Samsung Z1 in India – Budget Tizen OS hints competition against US$100 Android One 

So why India?

The market is rapidly expanding, particularly for Budget smartphone as noted in the article “Smartphone explosion in 2014 will see ownership in India pass US”, published Monday 13 January 2014 17.10 GMT by Charles Arthur, The Guardian:

§  225 million persons expected to purchase smartphones in 2014 as stated in the article

§  1.2 billion people are yet to buy a smartphone

If they do, they’ll probably add to the 120 million people who shop online on their smartphones in India, representing some 70% of Indian Online Shoppers as stated in the article “M-commerce to contribute up to 70% of online shopping in India: experts”, published November 30, 2014 Last Updated at 12:10 IST, Business Standard.

Hence the reason why Google Launched their US$100 budget smartphone, the Android One in India back in September as stated in the article “This Is The $100 Android Phone That Google Is Hoping Will Dominate India”, published SEP. 15, 2014, 6:52 AM, by JACK DUTTON, Business Insider.

So the ball is in Samsung’s court to respond to competition in this very fertile market that is as fertile as the banks of the River Ganges as noted in the article “Samsung Has Gone To War Against Google's $100 Smartphone In India”, published DEC. 1, 2014, 4:14 AM by JIM EDWARDS, Business Insider.

Either Launch or face losing such a potentially rich untapped market forever to the growing might of Google Android!

Samsung needs to make more Z1 – 1.2 billion people requires a lot of US$90 Z1’s in stock

After so many disappointments with Tizen OS, the most recent being Huawei’s rejection of the OS back in August 2014, Samsung desperately needs a winner in face of their poor Third Quarter Performance as noted in my blog article entitled “Samsung’s declares 60% Profit and 20% Sales decline - Tizen OS Response needed as India’s Diwali may Light a Path in November towards Future Prosperity”.

The Diwali Festival of Lights Launch failed to materialize, resulting in many fans of Tizen OS seeking answers as to why Samsung Tizen OS smartphone had failed to make a showing.

Fan website TizenExperts suggested that the Samsung hadn’t built enough Z1 smartphones to satisfy demand. They pointed to some US$1.7 million worth of parts related to the Z1 shipped to India, most likely where the smartphone is being manufactured as stated in the article “No release for the Tizen Samsung Z1 today, but over $1.7m worth of SM-Z130H parts imported to India”, published Dec 10, 2014, Tizen Experts.

So the rumours may be true is also related to competition. People of India, Sunday January 8^th 2014 may be the day that Samsung overcomes Google in the final saga of the Diwali Festival of Lights as Samsung needs to make enough US$90 Z1’s to satisfy the potential demand!