Samsung launches Tizen SDK for wearables: Will developers follow?

Samsung is looking to prime the app pump for its Gear smartwatches, wearable devices as well as its Tizen operating system.

The company on Monday said that it has launched a Tizen Software Developer Kit for wearables. The SDK is designed to make it easier for developers to create apps for smartwatches.

For developers, however, it may be a case of show them the money. First, Tizen is a new platform---at least in terms of critical mass---so it's not like a developer can piggyback on Android or iOS.

In a statement, Samsung said it "continues to focus on shaping the future of the wearable technology as well as expanding more possibilities for app developers, partners, and consumers." Samsung's Gear and Gear 2 Neo smartwatches revolve around fitness, shopping, social media and news.

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What Samsung will really need for the smartwatches is some kind of app that would generate cash for developers and interest in Tizen. In other words, Samsung needs a hero app that coins money for the developer.

Samsung did tout apps such as Atooma, which automates tasks across smartphones and Gear, Banjo, a social post indexing app, and Dacadoo, a health app. So far, Samsung has launched a $4 million Tizen app challenge and a store. Thus far, Samsung has seemed to jump start a Tizen developer effort. We'll see where developers go from here.