DHAKA: Samsung Electronics unveiled the Samsung Z, the first commercially available smartphone powered by the Tizen operating system.

The phone will be on show at the Tizen Developer Conference in San Francisco from 3 June and launch first in Russia in Q3. Samsung said it plans to bring the phone to other markets later.

The company launched in February smartwatches running the Tizen OS, but a smartphone using the software has long been delayed.

Based on Linux and originally developed by Intel and several major mobile operators, Tizen is expected to help Samsung reduce its reliance on Google’s Android OS.

Samsung said the Z smartphone will look somewhat different from its usual Galaxy range, with a more angular design with ‘sophisticated’ lines.

According to the manufacturer, the device offers ‘a differentiated user experience in an efficient and light-weight smartphone’.

The phone comes with a 4.8-inch HD Super Amoled display and a 2.3 GHz quad-core processor. Samsung said it offers improved memory management, faster start-up time and immediate multi-tasking capabilities.

It also supports 2D and 3D graphic qualities, smoother scrolling and an improved rendering performance for web browsing. 

A built-in fingerprint sensor further enhances security on the phone, and the Ultra Power Saving Mode lets the phone stay operational even at minimal battery levels.

The Samsung Z will be available in a choice of red or black, reports telecompaper.com.

BDST: 1956 HRS, JUNE 02, 2014