Samsung ditches Google Maps for Nokia HERE Maps in Tizen devices

Telecom gear maker Nokia has partnered Samsung to provide its maps and location services to Tizen-powered smart devices by the Korean electronics giant.   The Finnish firm’s location-based services arm HERE will also provide solutions to Samsung’s new smartwatch, Gear S.   Nokia in a statement today said, “HERE has partnered with Samsung to bring its maps and location platform services to Tizen-powered smart devices by Samsung, including the Samsung Gear S.”   On the Samsung Gear S, HERE is powering an application called Navigator, which offers turn-by-turn walk navigation and public transit routing, it added.   Tizen, an open and flexible OS operating system, was launched as a competitor to Android and iOS operating systems.   The OS aims to address the needs of all stakeholders of mobile and connected device ecosystem, which includes device manufacturers, mobile operators, application developers and independent software vendors (ISVs).   Samsung will launch the first smartphone based on its Tizen platform in the July-September quarter this year, a move aimed at reducing dependence on the popular Google’s Android OS.   Samsung, the world’s largest smartphone maker, said the Tizen-powered ‘Samsung Z’ will be made available in the third quarter in Russia followed by other markets, Samsung said but did not disclose specific details.   A majority of Samsung’s mobile phones are currently powered by the Android platform, which is also the dominant OS on most smartphones across the globe.   Previously, Samsung ran ‘Bada’ OS, which did not see much success. It has since been working on merging the platform with Tizen, which is backed by chipmaker Intel Corp.   The other popular operating systems include Apple iOS, Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS and BlackBerry’s proprietary platform.   According to research firm IDC, smartphone sales stood at 281.5 million units globally in Q1 2014, up 28.6% from 218.8 million devices in January-March 2013.   Samsung had a 30.2% share, while Apple had 15.5% and Huawei had 4.9% share in the said quarter.   PTI