Android apps will run on Tizen-powered Samsung Z1, via OpenMobile ACL

What do you do if you are trying to establish an ecosystem of apps for your mobile operating system, or are simply trying to bolster the numbers a bit in order to look more attractive to consumers? If you’re Jolla or Blackberry, the answer is adding Android app compatibility. It’s something we are seeing more of as of late when it comes to smaller players in the mobile OS market, and it seems that Samsung is now getting on this train too — well, sort of.

According to SamMobile, the Tizen-powered Samsung Z1 is expected to be formally launched in India tomorrow at a price point of around $91 (Rs. 5,700). Tizen is far from established in the mobile world and so folks who purchase the Z1 handset should expect a limited number of apps to be available at launch. For those that want to jumpstart their app experience? SamMobile reports that OpenMobile’s Application Compatibility Layer (ACL) can be downloaded from the Tizen app store from day one.

Tizen doesn’t officially support Android apps out of the box, but ACL makes it possible to run a number of Android apps at speeds that would be comparable to similar spec’d Android devices. As an example of what to expect, the video below shows off WhatsApp running on Tizen thanks to ACL:

Initally ACL will offer more than a thousand Android apps, which isn’t a whole lot when you think of how many apps are in Google Play, but it’s certainly a start. Now it is worth noting that it is currently unclear if Samsung is officially supporting OpenMobile’s efforts in order to enhance the Tizen experience, or simply allowing the app to exist in its store for those that want the option. We’ll know more tomorrow, if the news of the Z1’s launch proves accurate.

What do you think, if enough Android apps are made compatible with Tizen, could this help make Tizen more appealing for Samsung fans looking for an alternative to Android? Let us know what you think in the comments.