Samsung: Galaxy S3 inspired by 'sparkling' pebbles, forest stroll
The creative folks behind the Galaxy S3 reveal the natural elements they drew on to fashion the features of Samsung's new smartphone.
Samsung's Galaxy S3 is a high-tech product, but its design was meant to reflect the simplicity of nature, at least according to the company.
"We wanted a more emotional, and stronger connection with our customers," Jacob Lee, Samsung VP for mobile design, said in a company video highlighting the phone (English translation).
As such, the various designers behind the phone claim they were inspired by different forces found in nature.
"I happened to witness the pebbles in a stream sparkling under the sunlight," product designer Hangil Song revealed. "And I tried to capture those elements into the design of the phone."
Specifically, the S3's screen was designed to evoke that same sparkling look and feel.
If that notion sounds familiar, you may have been tracking the high-tension Apple v. Samsung courtroom drama. Samsung wanted jurors to hear from a designer on the team behind the F700 phone who, the company said, "was inspired by a bowl of water." But that testimony was blocked from the trial, which earlier this week was turned over to the jurors, with a verdict expected in the coming days.
To create the sounds for the Galaxy S3, sound engineer Joongsam Yun said the designers tried to make them sound like "a stroll in the forest."
And user interface designer Jeeyeun Wang said that the unlock screen was designed to "create pleasant memories and let the users' imagination run" since it is the screen most often seen.
"So that not only the first impression is natural, but the experience becomes more meaningful the more you use the phone," Wang added.
Come to think of it, the theme of "'minimal organic" described by Samsung designers sounds like something out of the Apple playbook. So does the phone evoke the feel of nature? S3 owners weigh in with your thoughts.
Samsung reveals the design behind the S3