New OS start will shipping in devices 1H10, with $2.7m app developer prize fund up for grabs
Samsung has lifted the lid on its new Bada smartphone OS at an event here in London today.
Handets will start shipping with the OS during the first half of next year in 50 countries, with the company promising to deliver 'rich life experiences' across both high-end devices and feature phones.
The South Korean electronics giant has also released a Bada SDK for app developers, with the OS supporting LBS, Flash UI and in-app purchases (operator billing and credit cards).
At the launch event Samsung demonstrated a Chelsea FC app (it sponsors the team), through which it appeared users could buy match tickets.
In order to attract developers to the platform Samsung has set a bada Developer Challenge, offering participants a share of a $2.7 million prize fund.
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It has also announced a series of Developer Days to take place in Seoul, London and San Francisco next year.
The Bada develop support website is here.
Among the content companies already confirmed as supporters of Bada are Twitter, Blockbuster, Capcom, EA Mobile and Gameloft .
Samsung refused to be drawn on how many Bada handsets it expects to ship, but pointed out that it has shifted 40 million touchscreen phones this year.
The company also stressed it would continue to support the Symbian and Android operating systems.
