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Samsung’s next Tizen-based smartphone will reportedly bear the model number SM-Z250F and be the first phone to run Tizen 3.0 out of the box. This information comes from a report by SamMobile and the outlet’s sources also claim that the device has been codenamed “Pride.” The handset has apparently been under development for some time now and will be launched at some stage this year. According to the report, the upcoming device will be an entry-level smartphone that will be sold in emerging markets in South Asia and Africa, with an emphasis on more populous nations like India, Bangladesh, and Nigeria. There’s no word on whether Samsung will also release the device in other regions around the world including Europe and North America. The South Korean company has already launched a few Tizen-powered smartphones, including the Samsung Z, Z1, Z2, and the Z3.
While not much is known about the phone’s hardware specs at this point in time, the report claims that Samsung is giving a lot of attention to one particular software feature that is currently not available on most other entry-level devices. Namely, the upcoming Tizen-powered Pride will apparently boast a major focus on voice control with Samsung’s new AI assistant “Bixby” on board. Bixby will also reportedly be baked into the company’s upcoming flagship, the Galaxy S8. The company got its hand on the assistant last October when it acquired a San Jose-based artificial intelligence startup Viv Labs, which was founded back in 2012 by the same group of people who had previously created Apple’s AI assistant Siri.
It will indeed be interesting to see if Samsung eventually does include Bixby in the upcoming Tizen-based Pride as the device will likely be an entry-level handset if earlier Tizen smartphones from the company are any indication. It also remains to be seen if other Tizen-based devices from Samsung will also come with the company’s new digital assistant, as most of Samsung’s smartwatches, smart TVs, and fitness bands run on Tizen instead of Android Wear. For now, though, it is worth noting that these are still very early rumors, and with no concrete info on the company’s next-gen Tizen smartphone, it is imperative that we take these rumors with a grain of salt.