The Tizen Association: Tizen device platform launched

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

An alpha version of the new Linux-based Tizen device software platform has been launched. First announced in September 2011, Tizen is a joint project of the Linux Foundation (post below) and LiMo Foundation, to create a standards-based HTML5 and WAC web development environment for device-independent applications. 

The Tizen Association – which includes NEC Casio, NTT Docomo, Panasonic, Samsung, SK Telecom, Telefonica and Vodafone on its board - started to build industry engagement and in-market support for the platform on 1 January.

Mobile Linux groups back HTML5 for Tizen platform

28 Sep 2011

The Linux Foundation and the LiMo Foundation have united to create a new Linux-based device software platform, called Tizen.

In a statement, the companies said that “Tizen combines the best open source technologies from LiMo and the Linux Foundation and adds a robust and flexible standards-based HTML5 and WAC web development environment within which device-independent applications can be produced efficiently for unconstrained cross-platform deployment.”

The intention is for the platform to leverage the “robustness and flexibility” of HTML5, which it said is “rapidly emerging as a preferred application environment for mobile applications,” alongside the “broad carrier support” of the Wholesale Applications Community.

In a blog post, Imad Sousou, co-leader of Meego’s technical steering group, said: “we believe the future belongs to HTML5-based applications, outside of a relatively small percentage of apps, and we are firmly convinced that our investment needs to shift toward HTML5.”

Some developers have questioned whether the Qt application framework will be adopted by Tizen, in the way that it was by Meego – and so far this has not been addressed.

By focusing on HTML5 for development, Sousou said that other APIs not visible to programmers need not by as rigid, and “can evolve with platform technology and can vary by market segment.” This will be especially important as Tizen is intended to be used across different device types, including smartphones, netbooks and in-car terminals.

The Tizen project will reside within the Linux Foundation.