Samsung is reportedly planning to launch its first phones based on the Tizen OS in Russia and India first, and could be planning a launch event in a matter of weeks.
The Wall Street Journal has reported, citing inside sources, that Samsung is planning a launch event in Moscow soon to debut its first Tizen smartphone.
A launch could also be imminent in India, although the report does not give any details on a date.
Samsung used this year's Mobile World Congress to show off a Tizen prototype, and announced that the phone will be available later this year. In April, a Samsung executive hinted that a launch will be coming in the second quarter.
Samsung is considering using the Tizen OS to help reduce its reliance on Android. But analysts are sceptical about whether Samsung will fully embrace the open-source OS, given that breaking with Google would be a risky proposition.
According to the WSJ, Samsung is also considering adapting Tizen for use in smart televisions.
The company apparently has diversification on its mind – Bloomberg Businessweek has reported that Samsung will be investing at least $2 billion into biopharmaceuticals, with the goal of becoming a major force in the biotechnology industry.