Samsung eyes post-Google era

Hong Won-pyo
Samsung Electronics
president

By Kim Yoo-chul

SUWON ― A Samsung executive said Tuesday the firm will continue investing in its own operating system for smartphones, called Tizen, in a bid to prepare for a post-Google era.

"So far, Samsung hasn't been sticking to one platform," Samsung Electronics Medial Solution Center President Hong Won-pyo told reporters.

"Like Google's Android platform, Tizen could be a common platform that can connect Samsung products in a single category."

Samsung said it will release mobile and consumer electronics devices that run on the Linux-based operating system as early as possible. However, the firm is hesitant to jump into the fray mostly due to "poor market conditions," sources say.

The executive said Samsung is investing more to create its own smartphone ecosystem and to offer a "common platform" for all company products, including mobile phones, TVs and home appliances.

"We will work together with various manufacturers, solution and parts suppliers to expand our 'smart home' business," Hong said.

Hong indicated that Samsung is looking for opportunities for mergers and acquisitions (M&As) to quicken the development of its own ecosystem.

"I can't name of companies that are being targeted by us. But we are collaborating with Samsung's technology affiliates such as Samsung Techwin, Samsung SDS and S-One, to boost the smart home business," he said. "We are ready to fully open up our platform and solutions to other interested parties."

While Samsung is collaborating with Google in its blockbuster patent dispute with Apple, Samsung is hoping to cut its reliance on the Google Android platform that helped the Korean company realize its meteoric success in smartphones and tablets.

Samsung officials said without applications and its own ecosystem based on content, there is little chance to go beyond just as a fast-follower rich in manufacturing.

"It's been very tough for Samsung to take off its own platform as Samsung isn't the company that's been consistent in lifting the content business against Apple. Samsung should open up its own communities and collaborate with other tech companies if it really wants to prepare a post-Google era," said Chung Ji-hoon, a professor at IT convergence research lab at Kwandong University in Gangwon Province.

Impressed by success by Kakao Talk, Samsung launched its own mobile messaging service ― ChatOn ― in December 2011.

Total ChatOn users are estimated at some 12 million as of March. Samsung Electronics aims to sell over 400 million smartphones by 2014, officials said.