Samsung expands Tizen OS to more smart TVs, pushing its platform beyond its own brand

Samsung has announced that it’s expanding its Tizen OS Licensing Program to include new partners. This will see Tizen OS embedded in TVs from brands like EKO and QBELL (Ayonz) in Australia and Europe, RCA (Kayve Groupo) in Mexico, RCA (Treasure Creek) in the United States and Canada, and Axdia in Germany. The Korean firm said that it expected to add more brands in the second half of the year.

“Tizen OS is recognized for its performance, reliability, and innovation,” said Jooyoung Kim, Vice President at Samsung Electronics. “This year, we are focused on expanding our licensing program and creating diverse collaboration strategies for our key partners. We are serious about growing our global partner network and enhancing the ecosystem. By offering expanded regional support, an enriched app ecosystem, and tailored marketing resources, we aim to deliver even greater value to consumers worldwide.”

This move marks a substantial push for Samsung as it tries to expand the presence of Tizen OS to better compete with rivals like Android TV and Roku. It’s a good move for end users who will now have a greater choice of TV operating systems to choose from when buying a new TV.

The licensees will have access to Tizen OS 8.0 initially which offers smart features like advanced content discovery, Samsung TV Plus, Samsung Gaming Hub, and SmartThings multi-device connectivity. For those that don’t know, Samsung TV Plus lets you stream films and TV content while Samsung Gaming Hub allows for cloud gaming.

“We are proud to expand our RCA TV portfolio across Mexico and Latin America through our partnership with Samsung’s Tizen OS,” said Jonathan Vera, Head of Marketing & Communications, Grupo Kayve. “The Tizen team provides comprehensive technical and marketing support, enabling an agile go-to-market process.”

Samsung is taking this decision now to become a leading provider of smart TV operating systems. It will allow the company to expand its global partner network and enhance its ecosystem through the introduction of more affordable hardware solutions. Samsung also reiterated that it is still committed to “delivering an open, robust, and premium smart TV experience for consumers around the world.”