CNET:

Samsung is the world’s biggest Android device maker by a wide margin, but it has been developing Tizen as an alternative to Google’s operating system for quite some time. Tizen gives Samsung more control over its own future, allowing it to rely less on Google and more on its homegrown software. That becomes increasingly important as Google works to support other Android vendors and as Samsung tries to set itself apart from all the other handset makers in the market.

A tricky position for Samsung, stepping off the ledge of Android safety in a bid to take control of their own destiny.

NTT DoCoMo, Japan’s largest carrier and an early proponent of Tizen, in January scuttled its immediate plans to launch a Tizen-based smartphone. The company, which said it continues to support Tizen, made the move because of the lack of consumer demand beyond Android or Apple’s iOS.

It’ll be interesting to see if that lack of consumer demand for Tizen continues, or if Samsung can spend their way into relevance here.

One last note. Samsung’s Tizen Developer Conference is taking place this week in San Francisco. In my opinion, a tremendous act of hubris.