Samsung unveiled its next-generation Tizen-powered smartphone, targeting the Indian market, which it said will “provide the features that will help consumers capitalise on the growing Tizen ecosystem”.

Targeting the Indian market, the device sees a general specification bump over the previous Z1, although it is still very much mid-tier. This is reflected in the pricing, at INR8,490 ($130).

“As a pioneer of Tizen platform, we have continuously introduced Tizen-based mobile devices, including Z1 and Gear S2, in our commitment to develop the Tizen ecosystem,” said Jong-Kyun Shin, CEO and head of the IT & Mobile Business at Samsung Electronics.

Features highlighted include an “ultra power saving mode”, which enables standby of up to 33 hours with less than ten per cent of battery life, and “ultra data saving mode”, which uses data compression and management for up to 40 per cent less data usage.

Playing to the local market, it also features a My Galaxy app which offers “various exclusive services, local deals, entertainment content, continuous value on extensively used categories like recharge, travel, movies, fashion etc, and post purchase assistance”.

It has a 5-inch HD screen, 1.3GHz quadcore processor with 1GB of RAM, 3G connectivity, 8MP rear and 5MP front cameras, 8GB of onboard storage and microSD slot.

In comparison, Z1 has a 4-inch WVGA screen, 1.2GHz dualcore processor with 768MB of RAM, 3.1MP rear and VGA front cameras, and 4GB of onboard storage with microSD slot.

According to reports earlier this year, Samsung was readying a range of Tizen devices, including higher-spec devices, although this does not appear to be the case for now.

It has been suggested that Samsung has shifted more than 1 million units of Z1, meaning that while the device is hardly a runaway success, it is also far from a flop.

Z3 will be available in India from October 2015, in gold, black and silver.