Samsung Doubles Down On Tizen With Z3 Smartphone For Emerging Markets

Well, as it turns out, the Z1 has been somewhat of a hit for Samsung in emerging markets and the lack of Android apps hasn’t been a hindrance to the platform. So instead of backing away from Tizen, which has now expanded to smartwatches, Samsung is advancing the platform with the brand new Z3.

The Z3 is powered by a [likely Samsung-sourced] 1.3GHz quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM, and includes a 5-inch Super AMOLED 720p display. You’ll find an 8MP rear camera, 5MP front-facing camera, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, 8GB of internal storage, a microSD slot that supports up to an additional 128GB, and a 2600mAh battery. What you won’t find, however, is LTE support, which is fine given that the Z3 is launching in India and other emerging markets.

Given its target audience, Samsung has also included a Power Saving Mode, which allows the phone to still operate in standby mode for an addition 33 hours once battery capacity drops below 10 percent. In addition, an Ultra Data Saving Mode uses data compression to cut data usage by up to 40 percent.

“As a pioneer of Tizen platform, we have continuously introduced Tizen-based mobile devices, including Samsung Z1 and Samsung Gear S2, in our commitment to develop the Tizen ecosystem”, said JK Shin, CEO Samsung’s IT & Mobile Business. “We developed the Samsung Z3 to provide the features that will help consumers capitalize on the growing Tizen ecosystem and make the most out of their personal mobile experience.”

The Samsung Z3 will launch later this month in India for INR 8490 ($131).