While major indicators point to an Android marketplace increasingly dominated by Samsung, the Korean giant isn't willing to back just one horse.

Backing up its operations on Google's platform and (marginally on) Windows Phone is a shift in terms of the firm's bada strategy.

As suggested back in January, Samsung's OS is to be merged with Tizen – the platform spun off from Nokia and Intel's failed MeeGo project.

The first fruits of this marriage have now been showcased to the world at the 2012 Tizen Developer Conference in San Francisco, with Samsung lifting the lid on its first device running the OS.

Talking Tizen

Spotted by TizenTalk, the 4.3-inch prototype handset features what's believed to be an ARM-based dual-core 1.2GHz processor.

The OS itself appears to have benefitted from extensive input from Samsung, sporting a UI that resembles the firm's TouchWiz interface for Android.

The device (seen in the video below) is set to lay the foundations of what Samsung's Tae-Jin Kang previously told Forbes could be a two-handset-strong assault on the market before the end of 2012.

It's expected the Tizen-bada name won't be pushed heavily on consumers.

While Samsung's bada – led by the firm's Wave handsets – has amassed healthy sales, its base has mainly been forged in Asia, with Android dominating the manufacturer's output in the US and Europe.

Different by design

As such, the firm's Tizen devices are likely to be sold under the Samsung banner rather than the OS, with the platform reaching consumers almost by stealth.

It's believed the firm is looking to offer consumers devices that offer genuine differentiation from the wealth of Android already devices on the market, both from Samsung itself, as well as rivals such as HTC, Sony and LG.

Some commentators have claimed consumers are increasingly unable to distinguish between Android handsets from major manufacturers – a factor that's led to some OEMs grouping devices together devices under distinct brands, such as Sony's Xperia range and LG's recent unveiled L-Style label.



[source: ElectricPig]