This Monday, July 21st, Samsung announced on its website that it is offering users of the original Galaxy Gear the chance to switch from Google’s Android OS to their Tizen OS used in the newer Gear generations. Samsung went on to say that “[by] updating…to Tizen OS, users will have access to more apps, about 140 apps worldwide available for Tizen OS – nearly twice what is currently available on the Galaxy Gear.” The company stated that updating to the Tizen OS will provide original Galaxy Gears with “robust music enhancements found on the Gear 2,” as well as other perks featured in the more recent Gear watches.
Most interesting about the company’s announcement is its sentiment that users cannot go back to their old operating system once they have updated it. Samsung states: “Once users update the wearable to join the growing community of Tizen owners, the Galaxy Gear cannot be reverted to the original Android-based system.” This part of the announcement in particular implies the South Korean company’s interest in pulling away from Google’s Android. To increase Samsung’s independence, the company is boosting its own software. Offering Tizen to Gear users also widens the software’s audience and provides an incentive for developers to create more apps for Tizen.