Undoubtedly, Android and iOS are the most popular operating systems, while Windows and BlackBerry are the lesser known ones. There are a few more that are on the horizon as developers are working on them to bring in some big changes for app development. Tizen OS is one such operating system that has gained traction in the recent years. This Linux-based OS is Samsung’s very own operating system. Despite the fact that it is backed by such a big mobility brand, Tizen still remains relatively unknown. However, it is generating interest in the mobile app development community. Let us know more about this futuristic operating system:

(1) Let’s start with the background

Tizen has been around for quite some time as it was ideated by Linux Foundation in 2007. The operating system was patronized by Samsung and in 2010, the company started working on its Samsung Linux Platform. Work began on Tizen in 2011 as Intel joined hands with Samsung to develop it. Tizen came up with its first version in 2012 and its hardware arrived in 2013. Till date, the brand has come up with three smartphones, a smart camera, and Gear 2 and Gear S smartwatches, all of which run on this OS.

(2) The versatility of Tizen

The most amazing thing about the operating system is its versatility as it is not just meant for smartphones. Rather, it is capable of running on a wide range of devices such as PCs, smartwatches, tablets, and even smart TVs in the coming years.

(3) Tizen goes hand in hand with the IoT

Recently, Samsung has come up with the second milestone of Tizen 4.0. This innovative version opens up the possibility of a wearable emulator, which will enable Tizen developers to emulate the app before its launch. With this comes Tizen IoT, the project that aims to simplify the IoT-based applications in the future.

(4) There are some security risks for the platform

Another thing that businesses as well as developers need to know about Tizen is the security risks associated with it. A recent article by an Israeli researcher, Amihai Neiderman, has pointed out as many as 40 unknown vulnerabilities which allow hackers to access Samsung products remotely without even needing physical access. The major vulnerability is related to Tizen Store, Samsung’s app marketplace. It is attributed to flawed design that enabled the hackers to hijack the software and inject malicious code to a Samsung device.

(5) The future of Tizen

The key challenge for the operating system will be to reproduce alternatives to the entire range of Google services integrated into the Android OS. There is also a significant challenge in developing the Tizen App Store as the shelf life of mobile devices is based on the number of apps available to them. Tizen App store will need to compete with Android App store which has a huge number of apps.

Conclusion

The challenges that stand in the way of Tizen app development are many in number but so are the opportunities that this relatively new operating system brings. As Samsung is all set to launch a number of Tizen-based devices in the coming years, the demand for these apps will probably go up. Businesses will gradually need to invest in them so that they can reach the segment of the audience that uses these devices. Finding an expert application development partner will thus become necessary for those looking to cover this operating system in the coming time.