The mobile design chief has now stepped aside following criticisms of the Galaxy S5 smartphone.
Some of the latest mobile technology news coming from Samsung has revealed that the company has accepted the resignation of Dong-hoon Chang, and that he will be replaced by the assistant head of his department, Min-hyouk Lee.
This resignation of the mobile design chief is in response to heavy criticism of the company’s flagship product.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 was expected to make outstanding mobile technology news, but since its release, it has been the recipient of a great deal of negative press. Consumers were disappointed by what they felt was a design that failed to impress. In fact, it rapidly became known as the “Band-Aid Phone”, as the plastic dimpling on the case of the device reminded people of the texture of the popular adhesive bandage product.
As the department that led to the generation of this negative mobile technology news, changes were expected.
Even beyond the performance of the device, the response that was generated by the appearance of the case was astounding and greatly negative. The front of the device is dominated primarily by the screen and looked like any other attractive and high quality smartphone. However, when the device was flipped over, the back revealed a look and texture that went against what people were expecting from Samsung’s latest flagship product. As this is a premium, high end device, this is the type of mistake that can be fatal to a design – and to the head of the design department’s job.
Even among those who didn’t find the case to be ugly, there wasn’t a great deal of enthusiasm expressed. With a price tag the size of that of the Galaxy S5, the attraction felt by consumers must be notably better than “adequate”.
Now that the mobile technology news of Chang’s resignation has been accepted, it looks as though the vice president of mobile design, Min-hyouk Lee, will be stepping up into the newly vacated top position. He has already played an extensive role in the original creation of the Galaxy series design that caused Apple’s iPhone to lose its massive dominance over the smartphone marketplace.
While mobile chips are becoming faster and more powerful, wearables have now upped the ante.
The mobile chips in high end smartphones and tablets are growing faster and ever more powerful, but those devices aren’t astounding consumers who were buying them as fast as they could hit the shelves, so chipmakers may start looking toward wearable technology for their next area of explosive growth.
Wearables could actually provide chipmakers with the challenge that they need for the next few years.
The growth curve could be quite the steep one as long as those companies can provide what is needed in order to make consumers love wearable technology as much as they have come to love their smartphones and tablets. According to principal analyst, Linley Gwennap, from The Linley Group, it is too early to say whether or not chipmakers will actually grab hold of this opportunity, or even if wearables will turn out to be the next big tech trend, as many of the industry giants are hoping.
Currently, the wearable technology remains a market that is moving less than 10 million units per year.
Surveys are currently suggesting that while consumers have initially been attracted to wearables such as fitness trackers, all too many of them are finding themselves forgotten and buried under a pile of other devices that were enjoyed for their novelty but were then forgotten once that had worn off. Furthermore, the best devices – such as some of the smrtwatches that have been launched – are prohibitively expensive for the majority of consumers and end up collecting dust on the shelves.
Gwennap explained that “We’re talking about [US]$200 or $300 for a smartwatch today. That’s kind of a two-spouse decision.” He added that if the doors are to open for the majority of consumers to participate, then wearable devices under the $100 price barrier will need to start becoming available.
He explained that he feels that one of the best ways to move these devices will be to bundle them with smartphones, for example, the case of Samsung Galaxy Gear being sold along with the smartphones as a bundle, so that as little as $50 can be charged for the smartwatch.
Cheaper wearable technology will be dependent on more powerful and yet less expensive chips. Should this be achieved, it could be an area that will be highly lucrative in the not too distant future.
