Samsung won’t ignore Android and WinMo for new OS ‘bada’

08 December 2009

Open source OS will just 'increase the variety available to Samsung users'

If you were wondering whether Samsung’s new open source operating system, bada, meant that the Korean company would be ignoring its Android and Windows Mobile phones, you can relax.

At least according to Thomas Richter, director of portfolio management at Samsung Telecommunications Europe who said, ‘It’s not a shift away from these operating systems, just an increase in the variety of platforms available to the consumer.' Very PR-ish, but we'll go with that scattershot approach for now.

Bada, whose code will be open to developers worldwide, will initially launch on a high-end flagship device in the first half of 2010, but Richter said the OS will eventually be available on devices at every price point, including entry-level. That sounds like a somewhat unique selling point (though we can’t help thinking of ‘budget’ Android device, T-Mobile Pulse, right now and wondering what bada is going to add to the mix).

The other two factors mentioned by Richter and Samsung Electronics CEO and President Mr SH Shin, included usability - ‘smartphones are aimed at business users... our vision is smartphones for everyone’ – and global distribution.

Unfortunately there was no sample device to play with, so we’re not sure how the OS plays out, but we do know that it will be skinned with Samsung’s TouchWiz interface (v 3.0). The first bada device ships in 1H, and a second is planned for 2H. No details of shipping volume or network availability were confirmed.