A closer look at the Samsung Z and its Tizen software (pictures)

When the Samsung Z arrives in Russia later this year, it'll be the company's first smartphone to be powered by the Tizen open-source operating system. The phone offers 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and is powered by a 2.3GHz quad core processor.

The homescreen will look especially familiar to anyone who has used Samsung's Android devices. Its 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display offers a 1,280x720-pixel resolution -- decidedly low res, in light of the competition.

If you're familiar with Android devices you'll be right at home on Tizen, as many of the platform's designs are similar Google's mobile operating system.

Truth be told, you'll likely be hard-pressed to tell the difference between a Samsung device running Android and one running Tizen OS.

Consider the app drawer: swipe up to reveal  familiar-looking columns of your apps.

Then there are the "dynamic boxes." That's widgets, to the rest of us. You can toss them up onto the Tizen OS' multiple homescreens and drag and drop at your leisure.

Pull down the shade to check your notifications, and get quick access to common phone features and functions.

You can readily switch between open apps at any time.

Many of Samsung's apps make an appearance, including the company's S Voice speech-control technology.

The Samsung Z sports a fingerprint sensor, much like the Galaxy S5. Swipe your finger along the button on the face of the phone to register your fingerprint and log in.

Can you spot the Tizen? While the familiarity might be nice for someone making the jump from Android to Tizen, it's also likely to breed confusion -- particularly when you run into the dearth of apps available on the fledgling OS.

The phone packs an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with flash, as well as a second sensor for measuring your heart rate. Just hold a finger up and the S Health will let you know how you're doing.

The phone weighs 4.7 ounces (136 grams). While there are svelter phones, the Samsung Z feels deceptively light.

The faux-leather stitching on the phone's rear lends it an air of class, while simultaneously making it easier to grip.  It'll be available in black and gold.

The Samsung Z's camera offers a slew of controls to tweak and effects to choose from, much like the Android-powered Galaxy S5.

There's also a Tizen app store, though it's hardly as fleshed-out as its Android and iOS counterparts -- as you'd expect for such a young operating system.

There are some games and applications available, however, and you can expect Samsung and other manufacturers to lead the charge for more.

The Samsung Z will be launching in Russia later this year, and offers a few apps from the Russian Internet company Yandex to get users started.

The phone's 2,600mAh battery is removable -- just pop off the faux-leather back to get inside.

Under the battery you'll find a microSD slot, with support for up to 64GB of external memory.