Samsung shows first smart TV with Tizen

Samsung showed a television during the Tizen Developers Conference in San Francisco on which the smart TV functionality and interface are provided by the Tizen operating system. The company has also released an SDK that other manufacturers can use.

The Tizen OS, which runs on a Linux kernel, is already used on mobile phones and on Samsung smartwatches, serving as an alternative to the Google-dominated Android. The television shown offers an interface that relies heavily on HTML5 techniques. As a hands-on from Tom’s Guide shows, the prototype has few distinctive features compared to regular smart TVs, but Samsung does give Tizen its own look and feel.

Controlling the television can be taken over using a laptop, smartphone or tablet. This can be done by entering a URL or by scanning a QR code. The devices must operate on the same WiFi network. A paired device can also be used to control the cursor.

In an effort to get other manufacturers and developers excited about Tizen, Samsung has released the Samsung TV SDK. This beta version makes it easier for software developers to write code for smart TV applications, according to Samsung.