# Samsung Z1

> smartphone

**Wikidata**: [Q20638636](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20638636)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Z1)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/samsung-z1

## Summary
Samsung Z1 is a budget-class smartphone released by Samsung Electronics that runs the Linux-based Tizen operating system instead of Android. Positioned as the first commercially available Tizen phone for emerging markets, it launched in India in January 2015 and was followed by the Samsung Z3 later the same year.

## Key Facts
- **Release date**: January 14, 2015 (India)
- **Operating system**: Tizen 2.3 (Linux-based, not Android)
- **Manufacturer**: Samsung Electronics
- **Model aliases**: KIRAN, Z130
- **Predecessor**: Samsung ZEQ 9000 (planned but unreleased)
- **Successor**: Samsung Z3
- **Official product page**: https://www.samsung.com/in/z1/
- **GSM Arena device ID**: 6894
- **Wikipedia languages**: en, fi, ko, ru, sat, vi
- **Wikidata entity**: Q18346749

## FAQs
### Q: Does the Samsung Z1 run Android?
A: No. The Z1 is one of the very few phones that use Samsung’s own Tizen operating system (version 2.3), a Linux-based platform originally designed for TVs and wearables.

### Q: Which markets received the Samsung Z1?
A: Samsung targeted emerging markets; India was the first and primary launch country, with later roll-outs to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

### Q: What makes the Z1 different from other Samsung phones?
A: It is the first commercial Samsung smartphone to ship exclusively with Tizen, lacks Google Mobile Services, and was priced ultra-low to compete with entry-level Android One devices.

### Q: Is the Z1 still supported?
A: Samsung ended firmware updates after Tizen 2.3; no official upgrade path to Tizen 3.0 or higher was released for this model.

## Why It Matters
The Samsung Z1 is significant because it marked Samsung’s first real attempt to break its dependence on Google’s Android ecosystem by bringing Tizen to smartphones. By pricing the handset below ₹6,000 and pre-loading regional content apps, Samsung aimed to capture first-time smartphone buyers in India and neighboring countries where cost sensitivity is high. Although sales were modest compared with Galaxy models, the Z1 provided Samsung with real-world data on app-store monetization, developer uptake, and consumer acceptance of a non-Android experience. The lessons learned directly shaped the more polished Samsung Z3 and the later Tizen-based Gear smartwatches and Smart TVs, proving that Samsung could maintain an alternative platform with a small but viable user base. For industry observers, the Z1 serves as a case study on how hardware giants can hedge against platform monoculture, even if full independence from Android remains elusive.

## Notable For
- First commercially released Tizen-powered smartphone worldwide
- Lowest-ever launch price for a Samsung touchscreen phone at the time (≈US $90)
- Dual-SIM variant exclusive to emerging Asian markets
- Ships with Ultra Data Saving mode optimized for 2G/3G networks
- Pre-loaded Samsung “Joy” app store instead of Google Play

## Body
### Hardware & Design
Samsung positioned the Z1 as an ultra-affordable 4-inch handset. The dual-SIM plastic chassis houses a 1.2 GHz Spreadtrum SC7727S ARM Cortex-A7 dual-core SoC, 768 MB RAM, and 4 GB eMMC storage (expandable via microSD to 64 GB). Display resolution is WVGA 800 × 480 pixels with TFT PLS technology. Imaging is handled by a 3.1 MP rear sensor fixed-focus and a VGA front camera. Connectivity covers 3G (HSPA 7.2 Mbps), Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS; there is no LTE radio. A removable 1500 mAh Li-ion battery supplies power.

### Software & Services
The Z1 launches with Tizen 2.3, delivering Samsung’s TouchWiz-style UI layer minus Google services. Core apps include Samsung’s own browser, email client, and the “Joy” app storefront. Regional partnerships add Bollywood music and live-TV streaming aimed at Indian consumers. Tizen’s memory footprint is lighter than Android 4.4 KitKat, enabling smoother multitasking on low-end hardware. Security updates ceased after 2016.

### Market Performance
Samsung never disclosed unit sales, but Counterpoint Research estimated 1 million Z1 shipments within India in 2015—small compared with Galaxy J-series volumes, yet enough to justify the follow-up Samsung Z3. Price pressure from Android One and Chinese vendors limited further Tizen phone expansion, shifting Samsung’s Tizen focus to wearables and IoT.

## Schema Markup
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  "name": "Samsung Z1",
  "description": "Budget-class Tizen-powered smartphone released by Samsung Electronics in 2015.",
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## References

1. Quora