Samsung Electronics is bringing people together through sound. The company will showcase the capabilities of Auracast technology by partnering with hearing-aid provider GN on a groundbreaking event at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London on May 16 to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). Attendees wearing Galaxy Buds3 Pro or GN hearing aids will utilize Auracast, which allows a single audio source to broadcast to multiple receivers simultaneously, and embark on a unique journey of shared listening.

What’s Happening

Auracast microphones and transmitters will broadcast audio directly into participants’ Galaxy Buds3 Pro or GN hearing aids, decreasing background noise to enhance clarity. A select group was given the opportunity to discover the potential of Auracast at a pilot event on May 1.

“The Auracast experience with the tour guide was amazing,” said one participant. “Ordinarily I wouldn’t be able to join in with the tour because I would be unable to hear properly, but today it was completely different. This technology allowed me to hear everything so clearly so I didn’t miss a word.”

▲ Attendees at the pilot event enjoying clearer audio with Auracast

Auracast and LE Audio

What is LE Audio? Introduced in 2022 by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, Low Energy (LE) Audio¹ is an updated standard for Bluetooth technology. It enables more power-efficient and higher-quality wireless transmission of audio from a broadcasting device to a receiver such as from a smartphone to earbuds.

Samsung has led efforts to increase LE Audio compatibility for mobile devices and hearing aids. Since 2022, the company has been pushing for the expansion of LE Audio, introducing 360 Audio Recording² and adopting Auracast through the Buds2 Pro software update.

What is Auracast? Auracast³ is a feature of LE Audio that allows broadcasting from a compatible audio source⁴ to multiple supported audio receivers,⁵ including earbuds⁶ and hearing aids. Think of it as turning your phone into a radio station.

Benefits of Auracast

• Shared Audio Experiences: As Auracast enables simultaneous audio streaming to multiple devices, listeners can enjoy a unified and enriched experience whether using ear buds or a compatible hearing aid. This represents a significant leap from traditional Bluetooth technology, which allows only one device to pair with an audio source.
• Seamless Audio Handoff: When moving from your smartphone to TV, or from public to private spaces, sound stays with you — as you don’t have to manually pair your device to each new audio source.
• Audio Clarity Anywhere: Auracast reduces background noise as audio is directly broadcast into your ears, providing a clearer sound experience. This is particularly beneficial in venues with loud echoes such as cathedrals and museums.
• Personalized Sound: Whether in a museum, a stadium, an airport or at home, Auracast allows you to tailor audio settings to your preferences. This customization ensures that users with varying hearing abilities can enjoy optimal clarity.

▲ Experience the benefits of Auracast with Galaxy Buds3 Pro

The Big Picture

Commitment to Accessibility: Samsung’s mission to redefine hearing accessibility has led to an unprecedented collaboration between mobile technology and hearing-aid innovation. With Auracast, Samsung bridges the gap between consumer audio and compatible hearing devices, crafting a seamless, intelligent and connected listening experience.

¹ Available on devices with Bluetooth 5.2 and above that support Auracast.
² 360 Audio Recording is available on Galaxy Buds paired with a Galaxy smartphone running One UI 5.0 or above with LE Audio support, including the Galaxy S25 series, Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 and upcoming Galaxy smartphones. Requires installation of the latest software versions of the Galaxy smartphone and Galaxy Buds devices. To activate the feature, go to the Samsung Camera app > select Video mode and then tap Camera settings > tap Advanced video options > turn on 360 Audio Recording.
³ The quality of the Auracast audio stream may vary depending on the application, network connection and other factors.
⁴ Auracast Transmitter supported devices : Samsung Galaxy smartphones, tablets with Samsung One UI version 6.1 or later, and select TV models. Supported Galaxy smartphone and tablet models include: S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, S24 FE, S23 (except FE edition), S23+, S23 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy Z Fold5, A56, Tab S10+, Tab S10 Ultra, Tab S9+, Tab S9, Tab S9 Ultra. Supported TV models include: 2025 Neo QLED 8K QN990F, QN950F, QN900F, 2024 NeoQLED 8K QND800, QND850, QND900, 2024 MICRO LED models, 2023 Neo QLED 8K QNC 800, QNC900 and 2023 MICRO LED models.
⁵ Auracast Assistant supported devices : Samsung Galaxy smartphones, tablets with Samsung One UI version 6.1 or later. Supported Galaxy smartphone and tablet models include: S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, S24 FE, S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23FE, Z Fold6, Z Flip6, Z Fold5, Z Flip5, Z Fold4, Z Flip4, A56, A55, A54, A36, XCover7 Pro, Tab S10+, Tab S10 Ultra, Tab Active5 Pro, TabS10 FE, Tab S10 FE+, Tab S9, Tab S9+, Tab S9 Ultra, Tab S9 FE
⁶ Auracast Receiver supported devices : Galaxy Buds3, Buds3 Pro, Buds2 Pro

Organized in celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), this year’s AFW is the result of close collaboration between the CDO at Samsung Electronics Corporation (SEC), Samsung Electronics Europe Office (EO), Samsung Design Europe (SDE), Samsung R&D Institute UK (SRUK) and SEUK — all of which make up the AFW task force.

First held at Samsung Seoul R&D Campus in 2023, AFW serves as a platform to reinforce and expand the company’s commitment to accessibility among employees. Samsung Newsroom visited this year’s edition in Europe to witness how that vision is being brought to life.

Day 1: Learning From Europe’s Accessibility Practices

AFW opened on May 13 with an Inspiration Tour, bringing together accessibility leaders from SEC and members of the AFW task force to explore exemplary accessibility practices across Europe and inspire future initiatives.

Participants visited Samsung KX in King’s Cross, London — recognized as a model for inclusive retail — where they examined products through the lens of accessibility and observed how inclusive design shapes the in-store customer experience.

▲ Inspiration Tour at Samsung KX in King’s Cross, London

▲ Visiting Google’s Accessibility Discovery Center, London

In the afternoon, the group visited the Accessibility Discovery Center at Google King’s Cross to engage with real-world solutions designed to better support people with a wide range of disabilities.

“The Inspiration Tour broadened my perspective on accessibility,” said Youngkyung Jung from the User Experience (UX) Strategy Group, CDO. “So many breakthroughs in accessibility come from collaboration between companies, and today’s program showed how powerful inclusive partnerships can be.”

Day 2: Driving Innovation Through a Cross-Functional Accessibility Symposium

Samsung held an accessibility symposium at the SEUK office on the morning of May 14, welcoming employees from CDO, EO, SDE, SRUK and SEUK. Colleagues from various departments including People, Workplace Solutions and Employee Resource Groups — along with planning, design, development and marketing teams — shared their experiences and strategies for embedding accessibility into their work.

Discussions covered current accessibility trends, accessibility in UX strategy including UX evaluation framework, practical R&D insights and more. Team members openly exchanged lived-in experience and ideas with one another, finding common ground to build stronger connections across regions and functions.

▲ Employees networking and engaging in discussions at the Symposium

“Accessibility features originally designed for users with disabilities often become essential tools that benefit everyone,” said Ray Jessel from EO Marketing. “It was especially helpful for my work to hear the unique experiences of different departments.”

Day 3: Building a Shared Accessibility Vision for Inclusive Innovation

To mark GAAD on May 15, Samsung is hosting a special session at the SEUK office to share its accessibility strategy and future vision for inclusive innovation with employees across Europe.

The event will begin with an opening speech from Simon Sung, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Europe, who will emphasize accessibility as a core value in advancing Samsung’s global vision and encourage teams across the region to champion accessibility innovation with a unified voice.

EVP Jinsoo Kim, Head of CDO Design Strategy Team and Accessibility Committee at SEC, will join the session in person to meet with employees, highlight the company’s accessibility principles and speak on the significance of AFW as the company looks toward a more inclusive future.

Accessibility leaders from various business divisions at SEC will then introduce product-specific strategies and key features prioritized for the year. Through these presentations, employees are expected to gain a clearer understanding of Samsung’s accessibility roadmap and align on a shared vision for customer-first, inclusive innovation. The keynote will be livestreamed to teams across Europe.

▲ Day 3 Keynote Speech Schedule

In the afternoon, a hands-on workshop will be held with experts from the external community group Studio Exception¹ — a design and innovation consultancy focused on inclusive design. Registered employees will have the opportunity to explore inclusive design thinking and reflect on how to apply it to their day-to-day work.

“AFW has been an inspiring and meaningful experience for us in Europe. Accessibility is no longer optional — it’s a strategic imperative that defines future competitiveness,” said Alice Jackson from the SEUK People Team. “It was especially impactful to have people from SEC visit Europe and deliver such a clear, unified message. This event has created a powerful sense of shared purpose, understanding and empathy — values we are passionate about in our efforts to support our colleagues and future talent at Samsung.”

▲ Employees exploring the AFW exhibition displayed in the Atrium

As the three-day AFW draws to a close, momentum and optimism continue to grow among employees. Samsung hopes AFW will help foster a lasting culture of inclusive innovation — one that goes beyond convenience to deliver better experiences for all.

¹Studio Exception is an inclusive design and research agency that aims to create better products and services by focusing on the experiences of diverse individuals, especially those who are often excluded from mainstream design

At Samsung, we design meaningful, human-centric innovations that offer people greater control and more enriching experiences in their daily lives. Through a variety of Galaxy features — from simple, easy devices gestures to auditory assistants and vision enhancements — we strive to open access to technology that works for people of all abilities.

To celebrate this year’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day, let’s take a look at some of these features and how we continue to bridge barriers.

Making the Galaxy Experience More Accessible

Adding Clarity With Relumino Mode

Born out of Samsung’s in-house incubator, Relumino Mode was designed to improve the lives of those with low vision by increasing the visibility of on-screen text and images. This feature enhances the screen’s contrast and brightness and sharpens image outlines and shapes, enabling users to easily discern content on their devices.

To understand our users’ perspectives and needs, we collaborated with advisors with low vision, researchers, engineers, programmers and testers to develop a solution for inclusive visual displays. Relumino Mode is the product of years of research and development to advance Samsung’s goal of providing “Screens for All” and improving the viewing experience for those with limited vision. This new feature is available in the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and beyond.

From following a ball during a sports match to reading smaller text on a news broadcast, Relumino Mode¹ helps users with low vision to connect with the world and enjoy content that matters most to them.

Enabling Relumino:

Providing Audio Descriptions With TalkBack

The TalkBack² feature, also known as Voice Assistant, is designed to help users with low or no vision to get the most out of their device experience without looking at their screens. This feature transforms Galaxy smartphones and tablets into an intuitive audio interface. As users navigate their devices, Talkback can provide speech feedback for anything they touch, highlight or select, such as menus, emails and notifications. TalkBack shortcuts can also be enabled for more seamless navigation.

Navigating the screen is simple. With easy-to-use gestures, such as Swipe Left, Double Tap or Use Two Fingers To Scroll, TalkBack provides users the freedom to control their devices conveniently.

Turning on TalkBack:

1) Launch the Settings app, and then select Accessibility

2) Tap TalkBack

3) Tap the switch to activate TalkBack

Bringing Media to Life With Live Captions

Live Captions³ helps those who are hard of hearing to follow their favorite media and audio content effortlessly. The feature transcribes audio as it plays through the device in real-time. With Live Captions, users can better enjoy videos, podcasts, phone and video calls, audio messages and voicemails.

Live Captions are available in English, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese and Spanish.⁴

Activating Live Captions:

1) Open Device Settings

2) Tap on Accessibility

3) Tap on Hearing Enhancements

4) Turn on Live Caption

Fostering Inclusivity Through Accessories and Wearables

Amplifying the World With Ambient Sound

The Galaxy Buds2 Pro features an Ambient Sound setting that adapts background noise at five levels of amplification,⁵ designed to cater to a diverse range of needs and situations. This feature gives users the ability to customize how they want to hear and experience sound. From making a conversation more audible to increasing the noise of traffic at a crosswalk, the Ambient Sound feature allows users to participate in social interactions while being aware of their surroundings.

Setting up Ambient Sound:

1) Insert both Buds into your ears

2) Open the Galaxy Wearable app

3) Tap on Earbud settings

4) Tap on Accessibility

5) Tap the Ambient Sound button

Reimagining Your Galaxy Watch With Universal Gestures⁶

Universal Gestures offers an innovative way to use your Galaxy Watch touch-free. With four intuitive gestures, Make Fist, Make Fist Twice, Pinch and Double Pinch, users can navigate their Galaxy interface, open apps, scroll messages and more, without needing to push down or touch the screen with force.

Prompting Universal Gestures:

1) Open Device Settings

2) Tap on Accessibility

3) Scroll to the Interaction and Dexterity Section

4) Turn Universal Gestures on

A Better World for Everyone

Samsung is on a journey to advance a more inclusive and sustainable future through our innovations and open collaborations, and will continue to take steps in delivering accessibility features to our devices, so more people can enjoy what our Galaxy products have to offer. The work does not end here.

For more information, visit our Galaxy Mobile Accessibility page.

¹ Relumino Mode is available on Galaxy S24 series operating on One UI 6.1 or above.
² Talkback is available on all Galaxy smartphones.
³ Live Caption is available on Galaxy smartphones with 4GB memory or higher.
⁴ Additional languages will be available in coming updates.
⁵ Additional two levels can be activated in the Laboratory — Ambient Sound menu under Earbuds settings in the Galaxy Wearable app.
⁶ Universal Gestures is available on Galaxy Watch6, Watch5 and Watch4 series with One UI 5 Watch.

In honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 16, Samsung Newsroom has outlined the accessibility features of Bespoke AI appliances that allow easy and convenient use for all.

Designed With Mobility in Mind

Both Samsung’s Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator with AI Family Hub and Bespoke AI Laundry Combo feature Auto Open Door — a function that helps users open the doors of these appliances. Refrigerator doors will open with a light touch, and laundry machine doors will open when turned on or when a cycle is complete. This function makes appliance use much easier for people who may struggle with opening doors such as the elderly or those in wheelchairs.

▲ Bespoke AI Laundry Combo with Auto Open Door

Full Control Through Audio and Voice

Bixby’s¹ voice command feature allows users to control devices around the home using only their voice, relieving the burden of device operation for people with low vision. Through voice commands, Bespoke WindFree Air Conditioner stand models can control other home appliances — such as refrigerators and washing machines — once connected to SmartThings.

Devices that offer Voice assistant audibly read user commands and the status of each appliance. Included on select Samsung air conditioners and robot vacuum cleaners, this feature will be expanded via a software update to the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo and other products equipped with AI Home — a 7-inch LCD touchscreen panel that helps control home appliances.

Accessible sounds — available on select refrigerator models for people with low vision — provide audio feedback in a series of distinct sounds with varying scales and syllable breaks, allowing users to better navigate operation controls. Samsung is now expanding this feature to Bespoke AI refrigerators and other products, so users can easily adjust the temperature of the refrigerator and freezer compartments.

▲ A usage example of Samsung Bixby’s voice command feature

Created for All Ages

Samsung is expanding its Senior Care feature to more appliances via AI Home to enhance readability through larger fonts.

Additionally, select induction cooktops feature Child Lock — a function that disables cooktop control to prevent accidental operation by children or pets. The lock can be controlled remotely on the SmartThings app.

Samsung plans to accelerate its development of accessibility technology under the slogan “AI for All” so that convenience in daily life can be enjoyed by everyone.

※ Availability of the features and functions mentioned above may vary by country and region, for applicable models only.

※ When connecting to the SmartThings is required: Users must download the SmartThings app available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.

¹ Bixby recognizes select languages and certain accents/dialects. The user interface may change and differ by device. The availability of Bixby features and content providers may vary depending on the country/carrier/language/device model/OS version. A Samsung account log-in and an internet connection (Wi-Fi or data network) are required.

When innovative technology meets great design, our lives can become more convenient. Samsung Newsroom spoke with inspiring people who use Samsung products and features to unlock new possibilities and enhance their lives.

Exploring the World Together

It is only natural for parents to want to share special moments together with their children, especially as they grow curious about the world and find joy in discovering new things. For parents with visual impairments, exploring the world with children requires a different approach.

“This is an apple, and this is a puppy.”

Children often point at objects they don’t know as they grow up and learn about their surroundings. With Bixby Vision for accessibility, parents with visual impairments can find out what their children are curious about as the device narrates for them. Even if parents aren’t able to see what’s in front of them, they can experience the world with their children through sound.

[Bixby Vision for Accessibility]

With an easy setup and simple interface, Bixby Vision vocally describes what it sees, helping people make sense of the world around them. Bixby Vision supports scene describer,¹ object identifier,² text reader and color detector.

* On smartphones and tablets: Settings → Accessibility → Spoken assistance → Bixby Vision for accessibility
** Service availability and content providers may vary by country, device, OS and One UI version.

Enjoying the World Together

Everyone is different — even members of the same family. For CODA³ families, hearing children converse with their parents who are deaf through sign language. As children grow up, parents want to learn more about what their children are experiencing and enjoying.

“Mom, look at that. Isn’t it funny?”

With Sign Language Zoom, it’s easier for CODA parents to better understand what their children are watching through a bigger sign language screen. Now, the entire family can enjoy their time in front of the TV and share even more laughter and joy together.

[Sign Language Zoom]

Sign Language Zoom automatically recognizes and enlarges the sign language area, enabling users who are deaf to see more detailed mouth and facial expressions. You can specify a sign language area and adjust the magnification by up to 200%. Users who are deaf or hard of hearing can also use this function to zoom in on a specific area of the screen, such as scores for sporting events or quiz programs.

* On TVs: Home → Menu → Settings → All settings → General & Privacy → Accessibility → Sign Language Zoom Settings
** Available on all Samsung Smart TVs released in 2021 or later.

Sharing With the World

Each and every one of us is different, with our physical abilities changing over time. Given the diverse range of experiences being lived by others around the world, it is important that everyone feels empowered to do what they want, meet who they want and live the life they want.

“I want to inspire people through social media.”

People with physical disabilities can seamlessly take, edit and share selfies on social media using the Assistant menu on Samsung smartphones or tablets. With the Assistant menu, everyone can use their personal devices to communicate and meet new friends.

[Assistant menu]

The Assistant menu lets you easily control your phone by simply tapping a shortcut icon to access hardware buttons, apps, features and other settings.

* On smartphones and tablets: Settings → Accessibility → Interaction and dexterity → Assistant menu

Staying in Tune With the World

For people who are deaf and hard of hearing, navigating the world can take a different shape. With this in mind, it’s important for them to receive everyday notifications in new ways.

“Light can become a language of its own.”

Light can help those who are deaf and hard of hearing receive the information they need in their day-to-day life. SmartThings uses lighting to notify users when someone’s at the door, when meals are ready or when the laundry is done. Light has become a way to communicate through SmartThings.

[SmartThings]

Sync your devices and appliances via the SmartThings app to control and get notifications about your air conditioner, washing machine, fridge and more.^* Then, connect partner products such as door sensors, lights and thermostats to automate and simplify your own day-to-day routine^** — like setting your smart light to dim or change colors once the laundry is done.

* To set notifications

• On smartphone and tablets: SmartThings app → Menu → Notifications → More (⋮) → Notification settings
• On TVs released in 2021 or later: SmartThings app → Settings → Notifications

TV notifications are limited to minimize any interruptions to the viewing experience.

** To set SmartThings routines

• SmartThings app → Automations → Add (+) Create routine
  

Possibilities Never Before Imagined

Samsung believes these stories can foster a world where all people benefit from the convenience enabled by technology.

Users with disabilities have utilized Samsung’s features in creative ways to enhance their lives — despite the fact that some functions were not originally designed as accessibility features. To this end, Samsung has provided new ways for users to interact with its products and services and has taken inspiration from real-life cases to develop stories with guidance from the Samsung Accessibility Committee⁴ and Samsung Family Supporters.⁵

Samsung hopes to continue creating accessible designs that unlock new possibilities so everyone will be empowered to lead meaningful, independent lives.

From the UX Team of the Corporate Design Center, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

* This article consists of stories based on interviews with people with disabilities and guidance from Samsung Family Supporters, an organization made up of Samsung employees and family members with disabilities.
** Illustrations by KIMUSTUDIO, an organization working with talented designers with developmental disabilities who create artistic pieces that challenge long-held stereotypes that have previously created prejudices in art.

¹ Scene describer mode currently supports English (US), French, German, Italian, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish (Spain).
² Object identifier mode supports 54 languages, which are the same languages supported in the translation feature.
³ CODA is an acronym for Children of Deaf Adults, referring to children raised by at least one guardian who is deaf.
⁴ The Samsung Accessibility Committee works closely together with designers and developers to continuously improve the accessibility experience for all Samsung users.
⁵ Together with Samsung Family Supporters, consisting of Samsung employees and family members with disabilities, Samsung assesses the needs of users across the spectrum to create ease of use for all.

Whether it’s listening to your favorite music, or simply tuning into — or tuning out — your surroundings, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro offers the ultimate in sound for everyone. As we recognize Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Samsung is committed to helping those who are hard of hearing better enjoy the sounds of the world around them with the introduction of new enhanced Ambient Sound.

Making Technology More Accessible and Inclusive

Previously available at three levels of customization, the updated Ambient Sound feature — which gives users the ability to listen to and stay aware of their surroundings — now adds two additional levels, offering five levels of amplification¹ and providing the benefit of improved hearing to even more users.

To assess the feature’s efficacy,² a clinical trial was undertaken by the University of Iowa’s Hearing Aid and Aging Research Laboratory. Their research concluded that Galaxy Buds2 Pro significantly improved speech perception in those with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. A similar trial conducted by Samsung Medical Center also found that the Galaxy Buds2 Pro could be an effective tool to help those with mild-to-moderate hearing loss to better communicate in a quiet place.

Bringing New Levels to Audio Customization

With this improved feature, Galaxy Buds2 Pro users can also fine tune their Ambient Sound settings across a variety of needs. Users can adjust the volumes on the left and the right respectively, as well as customize their Ambient Sound tone range from soft to clear across five different stages. Additionally, Ambient Sound can tune to users’ ears through the Adapt Ambient Sound feature, allowing for even more clarity in helping users hear the world around them better.

“We are excited to be introducing the new enhanced accessibility feature of the Galaxy Buds2 Pro to users on Global Accessibility Awareness Day,” said Han-gil Moon, Master and Head of Advanced Audio Lab, MX Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung will continue to work to help each and every user experience the best possible audio anytime, anywhere with their Galaxy Buds2 Pro.”

Availability

The enhanced Ambient Sound feature will be progressively released on Galaxy Buds2 Pro via software updates in the coming weeks.³

¹ Accessed in the Laboratory menu under Earbuds settings in the Galaxy Wearable app.
² Clinical trials by the University of Iowa and Samsung Medical Center were conducted with the Ambient Sound feature at its maximum level (Level 5).
³ Availability may vary by market, carrier and model.

As part of the company’s effort to support the Sustainable Development Goals, which include the aim to promote inclusion and equality for all, Samsung is committed to taking feedback from all users, and is collaborating with companies like Google to make the Galaxy experience accessible to everyone.

These collaborations have led to the development of a wide range of accessibility features that are designed to serve diverse needs. What’s more, to celebrate this year’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Samsung has produced a video tutorial to help users make the most out of the accessibility features on Galaxy smartphones.

Check out the video below to learn more.

By working with users and listening to their feedback, Samsung has developed accessibility features to empower individuals with visual impairments for Galaxy devices.^1,2 To mark this year’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day, the company is putting a spotlight on the three features which have enabled many Galaxy users to live more freely.

Transforming Lives With Innovations

The idea behind Bixby Vision is a simple one. It’s designed to give people the ability to gain more information about their surroundings by using a smartphone’s camera. The new accessibility features, namely Quick Reader, Scene Describer, and Color Detector, build on this capability to help users with visual impairments navigate the world and enjoy more enriching experiences.³

Understanding labels and signs is a daily challenge for users with visual impairments. By reading out written text in real-time, Quick Reader helps these users gain a better understanding of textual information in daily life.⁴

The feature can also recognize over 1,000 common objects and items. From identifying food and vegetables in the kitchen to locating cleaning products, it can help users carry out daily routines with ease.

Scene Describer provides descriptions of any images, including captured scenes and downloaded pictures. This could help users identify potential obstacles when they are navigating their surroundings.

While it’s possible for people with visual impairments to identify the materials and design of their clothes by touch, it’s difficult to do the same when it comes to distinguishing between different colors. The Color Detector provides a way to address this.⁵ With a simple camera scan, the feature can inform users of the color of the item in the frame.

“Before these features came to Bixby Vision, I had trouble picking my work clothes and identifying objects in the office alone,” says Kwangman Moon, a Galaxy user with visual impairment. “Now, I don’t need to give up on these simple tasks just because I can’t see.”

Collaborating With Users

Receiving users’ feedback is essential for the development of any mobile feature. For the latest Bixby Vision accessibility features, Samsung’s collaborative approach takes on even more significant importance.

“One of the problems we faced when testing the features with visually impaired users is that their way of experiencing the world is different from ours,” says Mikael Fodor, UX researcher at Samsung Research United Kingdom. “Being able to observe how the features work in the hands of our users and in real life situations allows us to understand problems and make improvements scientifically.”

For users who collaborate with Samsung engineers, being able to improve accessibility features and help others in similar situations overcome challenges is an empowering process.

“Many companies ask us to share our opinions regarding accessibility features. But for societal, technological, and institutional reasons, our feedback rarely gets reflected in their products,” says Sangjun Kim, a user who contributes to improving the accessibility of Galaxy smartphones. “By contrast, Samsung takes into account even the smallest feedback to improve app features. It’s been a special experience to see my feedback reflected in the real product.”

An Inclusive Mobile Future

While the latest accessibility features on Bixby Vision, as well as the high-contrast theme and Light Sensing on One UI 2, represent a key milestone in Samsung’s innovation history, the company understands that creating an inclusive environment on mobile devices is an ongoing process. Driven by the commitment to make mobile technology truly accessible to everyone, Samsung will continue to collaborate with users to develop boundary-pushing yet meaningful innovations.

¹ Since 2016, Samsung Electronics has been running the Samsung Supporters program, which works with users with disabilities to improve accessibility features.

² New accessibility features, including Quick Reader, Scene Describer, and Color Detector, are available on Galaxy devices with Bixby Vision 3.5 or above.

³ Availability of Scene Describer may vary by region.

⁴ Quick Reader supports 57 languages.

⁵ Color Detector can discern between 33 different colors.

Samsung Electronics creates technology that is accessible and easy-to-use for customers, regardless of their age, race, gender, or ability. Following Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 16, Samsung has released a visual story that details how the company designs products for everyone.