Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 could run Tizen, not Android

Samsung’s Unpacked 5 event is now less than a week away, and if reports prove accurate it will see the reveal of more than just the Galaxy S5 – at least one successor to the company’s Galaxy Gear smartwatch could also be launched, with the biggest surprise being that it no longer runs Google’s Android OS.

The first Galaxy Gear used a heavily modified version of Android, but the new model could use Tizen. Sources speaking to the USA Today, the Galaxy Gear 2 will use the HTML 5-powered operating system in an effort to break the company’s reliance on Google. According to the report, developers are also concerned that a version of Android designed specifically for wearable tech may be less open than the version found on smartphones or tablets.

Tizen is an open-source platform that is being co-developed by Samsung, but it hasn’t had the best of starts; it has been in development for years and the first Tizen smartphone was delayed in Japan by network operator NTT Docomo earlier this year. However, it may prove the ideal platform for smartwatches and other wearables. HTML 5 could be much easier to develop for than Android, which could lead to a greater range of available apps and features.

Although these are merely rumours, and should therefore be taken with a pinch of salt, Samsung definitely needs to overhaul the new Galaxy Gear if it wants to find success – the original received a lukewarm reception for its poor battery life and limited number of supported smartphones.

We’ll be at Mobile World Congress to see what Samsung has in store, and will be reporting from the Unpacked 5 event to see if these latest rumours prove accurate.