Galaxy S5: Samsung Tizen or Android Kit-Kat?

September 22, 2013

Will Galaxy S5 feature the newest Android Kit-Kat or Samsung’s own Tizen mobile operating system? With the speculation surrounding the potential future release of the Galaxy S5 from fans getting crazier each day that passes, what operating system the company’s newest heir to the Galaxy throne will use is a big question, and one that fans want Samsung to answer – and quick.

Known Galaxy 5S Specifications

While Samsung has yet to confirm anything about the newest Galaxy to date, there are, however, numerous rumors and in the case of Galaxy phones, the rumors are typically not too far off from reality. Some information considered reality and to which most experts agree includes:

  • A carbon fiber body instead of aluminum
  • A 64-bit CPU
  • A 20.7 MP camera
  • 4K resolution on video
  • Sharp’s IGZO screen display

The one thing the experts cannot agree on is which mobile OS the phone will sport – Androud’s latest iteration, Kit-Kat, or Samsung’s own Tizen. Samsung certainly wouldn’t try to fix something that’s obviously not broken – would they?

Samsung just might.

The issue here is that Android is expensive. Yes, really, it is – but not for consumers. Well, not directly, anyway. Any company that wants to use any part of Android must pay Google a fee for the trademark. It’s likely that OEMs pass that cost on to consumers,

On the other hand, Tizen is a completely open source alternative – Linux based. Combine this with the statement made by co-CEO of Samsung, J.K. Shin, saying Tizen will be on “everything,” and the good reception to the mobile OS – despite there being not a single American carrier committing to commissioning phones using it – it just makes sense.

Maybe this is why the media can’t get its reports straight.

Two reports three days apart contradict each other in a way, and they are within the same online magazine. One report states Samsung might use the company’s own Tizen operating system, while the other report conflicts with that information, saying that instead of Tizen, Samsung has made the obvious choice since Android will be available for 64-bit systems soon – that S5 will feature Android Kit-Kat and maintain the status quo.

Why does it matter?

Well, the problem is that Tizen is short on developers and applications, CNet reported. Though the platform is attempting to woo developers, and the situation may change from now until the S5’s release, there are simply too few apps to make Tizen appealing in that department.

Android on the other hand is a tried and true mobile OS with huge support – no wooing needed here. Plus, Android is the single most popular mobile OS on the market today – in fact, according to IBT, two of every three phones sold today uses Android.

In any case, it doesn’t seem to matter whether Samsung decides to mess with a good thing or not because, fans are still screaming for the new Galaxy 5S, whether Samsung sticks with Android, or forges a new patch with Tizen instead. Either way, it’ll still make a great addition to the current lineup.

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