Samsung is set to use Tizen for the next version of its Galaxy Gear smart watch, displacing Android in the wearable device, according to a USA Today report.

The move would come at a time when the future of Tizen looks at best uncertain. Despite commitments to launch devices last year, this did not take place beyond a single digital camera, amid reports of cooling sentiments from players including Samsung and NTT Docomo.

In some ways, putting Tizen in a smart watch makes some sense. Firstly, it would enable the South Korean handset number one to maintain the appearance of support for Tizen without the risks associated with migrating a smartphone to the platform.

And secondly, the shortcomings of Tizen – such as the lack of apps and content catalogue – are less of an issue in a smart watch, where new types of apps need to be developed anyway.

According to USA Today, Samsung will focus on HTML5 as the development platform for apps targeting its Tizen-powered watch, so as to attract web developers, rather than looking to drive native app development for the platform.

A study earlier this month from Strategy Analytics said that Android captured 61 per cent of the global smart watch market during 2013, although with a total of 1.9 million units shipped during the year, there is still a lot to play for.

Significantly, the research firm said Android’s growth has “been driven mostly by Samsung’s Galaxy Gear model”, meaning that a shift to Tizen would be significant for the development of the ecosystem.