What is Bada and what could it mean for your Samsung Galaxy?

Friday, 13 November 2009

Bada is a new mobile platform created by Samsung. While not much is known about Bada, we are told that it will have a heavy focus on rich applications and will help build an application ecosystem with a full development kit. A handset running Bada (which means `Ocean`, by the way) is due for release in the first half of 2010 and the Bada application store is expected to launch closer to the fourth quarter. Read on to see what this new operating system means for the current crop of Samsung Android phones.

The short answer is: not much, at least for now.

The long answer is that Samsung will probably move in one of two directions. The first direction involves a commitment to both Bada and Android. Under this option Samsung will make good on their plan to release more handsets running Android throughout 2010 (such as the Samsung Behold II) while simultaneously developing and releasing Bada as a competing operating system. A cynic would argue that this position is unlikely and that an organisation should always use a technology that was developed inhouse where possible (a practice known as dogfooding).

Direction Number Two involves Samsung dropping Android in favour of Bada. This is the most likely option as Sammy will naturally try to maximise return on investment after developing a mobile operating system and the surrounding application ecosystem. It also doesn`t make financial sense to hire two separate teams of developers to support both Android and Bada operating systems. Android phones will quietly take the backseat to Bada phones and eventually disappear from the Samsung line-up.

But wait! There is a hidden third direction: Peaceful co-existence. Well, it`s really direction 1.5, since Samsung did promise to support both operating systems simultaneously. This option hinges on the possibility that Bada would bridge the gap between feature phone and smartphone. If Bada tackles the `mom and dad` market and Android takes care of those who want to do a little more, everybody wins. The simple fact is that nobody really knows what it will do or how it will do it and Bada could complement your existing mobile OS just as easily as compete with it. Once we get some more information we will know how Bada fits in with the current mobile operating systems.

Whichever way this little drama plays out, one thing is for sure - nothing is going to happen right now. As the saying goes, `big wheels turn slowly` - It`s far too early to start worrying about the effect this will have your shiny new Galaxy ICON, as is the case in some forums. We`re eagerly looking forward to the release of Bada; if nothing else, it will encourage innovation and competition in a market where neither qualities would do any harm.

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tags: android    bada    galaxy    samsung