Samsung to launch a high-end Tizen handset around June

Speaking to Reuters, Yoon Han-kil, Samsung’s senior vice president of product strategy, said the S5 “is selling faster than the S4 so far…S5 sales should be much better than the S4.”

Although he did not share specific numbers, Yoon claimed the S5 will sell “significantly more” units than the 10 million S4s Samsung shifted in its first month on sale last year.

Yoon said Samsung plans to launch at least two smartphones running the company’s own Tizen operating system, currently used by the new Gear 2 and Gear Fit smartwatches.

Samsung will launch a high-end Tizen handset around the end of the second quarter (June), followed by a second model aimed at the mid-market later in the year.

The company wants to build an ecosystem that doesn’t rely on Google and Android, although Yoon admitted Android “still needs to be our main business” and said Samsung will launch an Android Wear-based smartwatch later this year.

Finally, Yoon said an updated Galaxy Note phablet with a “new form factor” will arrive in the second half of 2014. Samsung is expected to launch a new Note at the IFA technology show in Berlin in early September.[signoff predefined=”Enjoy this?” icon=”icon-users”][/signoff]