Tizen supporting .NET is the interesting thing in this article to me. If Microsoft got so far as getting UWP apps running on Tizen, Microsoft and Samsung could potentially offer a pretty compelling offering against Android.
The Windows Phone 8 to 10 transition lost a lot of people, myself being one of them. There are very few Windows Phone 10 handsets being produced, especially if you are looking for "flagship" quality.
FYI many if not most android phones are sold without the google store today in emerging markets if you buy a <50$ in Africa you are not getting Google's App Store.
(Why do you think people can iOS <-> android but not android <-> 3rd party? The adjustment is the same and not everyone buys a phone to play games with their friends)
The challenge is not getting the apps ported, the challenge is making devs want to port the apps. Sometimes that comes because everyone is talking about a new phone, but where Android started, was the developers of those apps themselves getting excited about it. But Android no longer caters to developers, so a platform like Tizen has a great opening there. As Windows Phone is closed source, it couldn't capitalize on this nearly as well.
"But Android no longer caters to developers" Can you explain what you mean by this?
Android of today is basically the iPhone. Really would like to see a phone for power users again.
People are once again using their phones for a lot more than casually surfing the web and playing games. Access to someone's phone now can give you access to their entire life hence the tougher security.
I guess Google can't satisfy everyone and there are options for now with Tizen right?
Tizen also already can run Android apps, and if they add .NET support, could probably run UWP apps potentially as well. Many of us have left Android or are looking to leave Android, and an open source competitor with wide application support from a good hardware manufacturer would be a compelling reason to jump. Personally I carry an old Windows Phone to escape the Google monopoly, but obviously for many moving to a closed platform is less ideal.