"Design is not just about creating the product's exterior. It involves planning every moment of using the product, from opening it to holding it in your hand," said Lee Il-hwan, Vice President and Head of the Design Team at Samsung Electronics MX Division, during a Galaxy design briefing held in London on July 23.
He defined the core value of the 8th generation Galaxy foldable phone design as 'comfort,' emphasizing the importance of reducing thickness and weight, as well as redesigning the entire user experience from opening and closing the device to the tactile sensation and viewing experience.
"Comfort cannot be measured in specifications like gigabytes or megapixels; what matters is how the user feels when holding it," he stressed.
Lee noted that user needs have become increasingly segmented over seven generations of foldable innovation. In response, the Galaxy Z8 series has expanded its lineup to cater to different user experiences: the 'Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra' focuses on productivity and multitasking, the 'Galaxy Z Flip8' emphasizes portability and self-expression, and the 'Galaxy Z Fold8' is optimized for content consumption and web browsing.
He explained, "As the values expected from foldables diversify into productivity and portability, a single product cannot satisfy all users. We have refined the roles of each product based on user data and experiences accumulated over the past seven generations."
Notably, the newly introduced wide foldable phone, the 'Fold8,' draws design inspiration from passports. It focuses on characteristics such as size that fits into a jacket pocket, ease of turning pages with one hand, and ergonomic proportions that display information at a glance.
To achieve a balance between one-handed usability and immersive large-screen experience, over 500 prototypes were created for hands-on comparison. Various prototypes with different sizes, ratios, and corner curvatures were displayed at the briefing.
Based on this, the Fold8 is designed with a 16:10 ratio for one-handed use when closed and a 4:3 ratio for optimal content viewing and web browsing when opened. Lee stated, "Our goal was to enhance portability when closed while providing the best viewing experience when opened. We determined the ratios through extensive validation to balance the cover and main screens."
The Fold8 Ultra features an 'Emotive Slim' design that emphasizes a thin feel when held. When opened, it measures 4.1 millimeters thick, making it the thinnest Galaxy foldable to date. Samsung focused on refining the side frame and outer silhouette to ensure users feel it is thinner and more comfortable than mere numbers suggest.
The side frame, where fingers touch, has a gentle slope for easy opening, and the outer curvature has been adjusted to enhance grip. The hinge tension is designed to allow the device to close naturally at specific angles. Lee emphasized, "A key criterion for foldable satisfaction is how easily it can be opened and closed, with comfort at the core of usability."
The camera maintains the signature linear array and oval shape of Galaxy devices while unifying the materials of the rear glass and camera island. This design choice reduces visual complexity by integrating the camera into the product design rather than treating it as a separate component.
Color choices reflect the target user demographics for each product. The Fold8 Ultra showcases a sophisticated and modern 'Violet Shadow,' the Fold8 features a calm lavender, and the Flip8 is represented by a vibrant pink. Notably, the lavender color was inspired by a 'comfortable Saturday afternoon,' achieving a fresh feel while lowering saturation.
The design philosophy of comfort also extends to the Galaxy Watch series. It maintains a cushion design where a round screen is enveloped by a square body, enhancing the integration of the screen, bezel, and body. The band incorporates an air pocket structure and high-performance silicone material, reducing weight by 25% while improving breathability and comfort.
Samsung analyzed over 100 million user wrist data using artificial intelligence (AI) and conducted approximately 10,000 simulations to validate band comfort. Lee remarked, "If smartphones are products experienced in hand, watches only realize their value when worn. Designing for every moment of product use is the direction of Samsung's design."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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