Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
Samsung Galaxy showcases human-centric design with S26, Buds 4
Lee Il-hwan, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics’ Mobile Experience Division, speaks during a news conference on the Galaxy brand’s design at the company’s press room in central Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
By Nam Hyun-woo
Samsung Electronics said Thursday its new design concept for its Galaxy smartphone and earbud series will be human-centric, aiming to allow technology and data to blend more seamlessly into users' daily lives.
“While Galaxy products incorporate advanced technologies, the new design direction is to pursue a comfortable and refined aesthetic that integrates seamlessly into users’ everyday lives,” Lee Il-hwan, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics’ Mobile Experience Division, said during a news conference.
Lee noted that Galaxy products’ design will focus on achieving greater visual softness, tactile comfort in every moment of use and a sense of warmth that enhances users’ daily lives.
The Galaxy S26 and the Galaxy Buds 4 series are the first products that reflect this design concept. The Galaxy S26 series, launched earlier this year, achieved greater design consistency across the lineup compared to its predecessor.
Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S26 series smartphones are displayed at its showroom in Seocho District, Seoul, March 11. Yonhap
While the previous S25 series applied different corner curvatures across models, the S26 series for the first time unified the outer silhouette with a 7-millimeter radius corner curvature across the S26 Ultra, Plus and Standard models.
“The Galaxy Ultra models, which have been known for their angular design, have been softened, achieving a smoother aesthetic, greater comfort in hand and improved stability during prolonged use,” said Samsung Electronics Mobile Experience Vice President Lee Ji-young, who designed the S26 series.
“We came up with the optimal 7-millimeter radius corner curvature by taking into account the signature Galaxy identity, a comfortable grip and the overall balance of the design.”
Galaxy Buds 4 / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
The Galaxy Buds 4 design also focused on the user experience. Buds 4 designer Song Jun-yong said that “wearing comfort is a matter of a wearable device’s performance.”
“From start to finish, nothing in the design process was without this purpose,” he said. “Everything was approached from a human-centric perspective. We refined even the smallest details to enhance overall completeness and deliver a product that users can truly be satisfied with. Fit was analyzed through data and usability was redefined based on behavior analysis.”
Samsung Electronics Mobile Experience Vice President Lee Ji-young, left, and Group Head Song Jun-yong answer questions during a news conference on the Galaxy brand's design at the company's press room in central Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
While designing the Galaxy Buds 4, Samsung Electronics used ergonomic data based on more than 100 million ear shape datasets collected through a partnership with the University of Michigan since 2024, along with over 10,000 wear simulations, to precisely engineer the earbuds’ fit.
The charging cradle was also redesigned from a vertical to a horizontal form factor to allow users to insert and remove the earbuds more easily. The adoption of a transparent casing also helps users quickly check the earbuds inside the cradle.
“The Galaxy brand seeks to bring meaningful change to its design by combining modern forms with emotional appeal,” Lee Il-hwan said. “Galaxy is identified with its market leading technology, but its value can be fully delivered when used comfortably in everyday life. Both technology and design are ultimately centered on people.”