In the two years that have passed since its introduction, HDR10+ has not only been revolutionizing the home entertainment market but has also debuted on a variety of other devices, including smartphones.  Bill Mandel, Vice President of Samsung Research America’s Digital Media Solutions Lab, sat down with Samsung Newsroom to provide an update on how far HDR10+ has come since 2017.

Building a HDR10+ Ecosystem

The biggest innovation for HDR10+ since its introduction in 2017 has been the expansion of the types of devices that can support the revolutionary picture technology, as well as the number of partners that have adopted it.

Over the past year, the number of HDR10+ certification program adopters has tripled, including many TV makers and various ultra-high-definition (UHD) device and System on Chip (SoC) makers. As Mandel affirms, the technology has become crucial to providing the best possible big screen television experience. “The additional picture information that comes with HDR10+ enables the TV processor to best recreate the color tones, brightness and contrast details with the highest precision and respect for the creative intent,” he notes. “Every scene and frame of a viewer’s content is delivered to the highest possible quality on larger screens thanks to HDR10+ and QLED TV processors.”

Samsung’s US-based Digital Media Solutions Lab are constantly aware that, just as the number of HDR10+-certified devices is constantly growing, so is the amount of content available. “We develop technologies like HDR10+ to be stable over a long time so that we can ensure we offer consistency across all available picture qualities as well as synergy between content producers and the viewing ecosystem,” explains Mandel of their development process, “and we work to provide a roadmap to enable the industry to develop and grow with these and other new video tools and enhancements.”

Providing High Picture Quality Across the Board

Back in 2017, Samsung partnered with 20^th Century Fox and Panasonic to create a logo and certification program that allows displays to be certified for having HDR10+ implementation. Since then, many more displays and much more content have been developed to support HDR10+ by a wide range of partners and collaborators who see the benefits this picture technology has to offer viewing quality.

“Device adopters see the picture quality benefit to HDR with HDR10+, service providers are finding that they can easily update their existing HDR services, and content providers are finding they can achieve greater consistency of quality across a wider variety of televisions,” comments Mandel on the path HDR10+ has forged in the industry. “Recently, at the Samsung Developer Conference in San Jose, we showcased samples of HDR10+ across a variety of devices including mobile, tablets and TVs to many interested developers.”

Looking to the future, Mandel notes that HDR10+ is set to revolutionize not only TV viewing experiences for users, but potentially also cinematic experiences. “Starting with HDR10+ technologies, we are currently working to understand the needs of filmmakers, post-production facilities and studios in order to help post-production workflows and future generations of displays provide even more capabilities and options to consumers and the media industry.”

The Most Vivid Viewing Experience Yet

What sets HDR10+ apart is that it has been designed to reproduce images faithfully by taking advantage of the brightness, darkness and contrast elements of content paired with the performance range of a viewer’s television. Thanks to its advanced tone mapping technology, HDR10+ is able to better reproduce HDR content with the appearance as intended by the creator. “Not only can users enjoy this quality on HDR10+-certified devices, but HDR10+ technology can enable any TV, even with differing sets of performance characteristics, to provide an immersive HDR content experience that fully showcases the care creatives put into their HDR source masters,” explains Mandel.

Mandel recommends dimming the lights in your home when watching HDR10+ content to make the most of the experience. “HDR10+ works with all the picture modes available on Samsung TVs,” adds Mandel, “and our ‘Movie’ picture mode has been optimized by the picture quality engineering team to deliver colors and cinematic texture as envisaged by the original content creators.” Mandel encourages consumers to look for HDR10+ support when considering their next device, “so that they can be sure they are getting the best HDR viewing opportunity possible.”

HDR10+, along with 8K resolution, stands at the forefront of display technology innovation. “Samsung is committed to continuously expanding the capabilities offered by TV screens,” affirms Mandel. “Through industry collaboration with technology initiatives such as HDR10+ and partners throughout the media ecosystem, we are continuously striving to deliver the best possible viewing experience to consumers now as well as in the future.”

Q. When it comes to hardware, what is most notable about the Gear Fit2?

Chaekyu Choe: To improve performance as a sports band, we added a GPS, an application processor (AP) on the level of a smart watch and improved sensors.

With an embedded GPS, the Gear Fit2 allows users can go out and more accurately track their activities, like walking or running, without bringing along their smartphones.

By separating the LED and photodiode, both of which are needed to measure heart rate, we were able to use a bigger photodiode and enhance heart rate accuracy. Generally, many wearable devices have a combined module for the LED and the photodiode due to their small size. Also, the Gear Fit2’s barometer sensor, which is now about 10 times more precise, made it possible to measure elevation accurately enough to know how many stairs people climbed.

Putting all of the functions into such a slim design was difficult because the space was so limited, especially with the curved design. There are two buttons on the side of Gear Fit2, which restricts the space even more. In order to overcome these limitations, we considered how best to arrange components, how to minimize the space between chips, et cetera. We also had to reduce the number of components.

Q. How were you able to embed full GPS capabilities?

John Kim: The antenna has to receive the satellite signals, but getting it to perform well was a challenge. Antennas work better when they are further from the human body. However, as the Gear Fit2 is slim and has a detachable band, it was challenging to find an optimal spot.

So, a new method was devised: a hybrid antenna. In order to place the antenna as far as possible from the wrist, the antenna was embedded inside the display, and an assistant antenna was installed in another area, thus forming a dual antenna that enhanced performance.

Q. How did you improve battery efficiency?

Hyukbeom Kwon: During the development, we found that power consumption can be reduced by controlling how often the GPS is accessed according to signal intensity. In general, exercise that requires GPS data is normally done outdoors where GPS signals are usually strong. So, we decided to make it turn on and off the radio frequency blocking function.

Through this low-power GPS technology, we were able to reduce power consumption significantly, so it uses about one-fourth the power of a regular GPS device.

Q. How does the automatic workout recognition work? And were there any challenges in developing this feature?

Wonhee Lee: The accelerometer sensor is used to identify the user’s motion first, and then the gyroscope sensor detects the direction and type of movement. Based on the sensor data, the Gear Fit2 can detect five types of workout – walking, running, cycling, elliptical trainers and rowing machine – and automatically recognize when those activities have been done for at least 10 minutes.

As there wasn’t any systematized database telling us “this workout is such-and-such,” we had to understand the data and figure out how to use it to identify each type of activity ourselves. To identify the exact type of workout, we had to get data from as many people as possible – because even for the same workout, the speed and intensity differ greatly depending on one’s age, height, gender, and so on.

Even after we found patterns for each activity, it was difficult to set a standard. For instance, when cycling, the Gear Fit2 detected not only changes in speed and direction, but also minute vibrations similar to what’s experienced when riding a small automobile. So we needed to find out how to distinguish between a car and a bicycle. Regarding workout equipment, there are so many types on the market depending on the manufacturer. Whenever we found an elliptical machine in a park or fitness center, we tried to use it.

Q. What are some of the benefits of using the Tizen OS for developers and consumers?

Keunsang Han: Based on our experience developing the Gear S2, we learned a lot, such as data processing methods, communication technology between a wearble and a smartphone, and the sensor API.

From the user’s perspective, many partners are participating to develop watchfaces, and users can download and use it – that’s because Tizen OS-related SDKs are provided and there is an app store. You can also find various fitness-related apps and watchfaces on Galaxy Apps.

Q. Was there anything unusual or different about the product development process?

Hyukbeom Kwon: Since the Gear Fit2 is a sports band, we had to test the performance firsthand, combining continuous field data with results from the lab. Even a minor modification to the hardware or software required more live testing. We would go outside, regardless of the weather, to conduct those tests. We walked and walked in the park, and exercised a lot.

Yonghak Lee: We had to consider how to customize the daily activity record for each region. For instance, we developed the screen in consideration of how Arabic script reads from right to left, and the 24-hour activity tracker needed to be modified according to time differences when going overseas.

(From left to right) Senior Engineer Chaekyu Choe, Senior Engineer Keunsang Han, Principal Engineer John Kim, Senior Engineer Hyukbeom Kwon, Assistant Engineer Yonghak Lee and Senior Engineer Wonhee Lee

Designers and mechanical R&D engineers at the Mobile Communications Business explain how the design of the Gear Fit2 originated, and how it was realized.

Q. What is the design concept of the Gear Fit2?

Jeff Jones: The original Gear Fit, with its thin, sleek look, was designed as a sports band. Then, with the Gear S2, we learned how to create a more premium wearable fit for everyday life.

We took the knowledge that we gained during these development processes and utilized it to create the product design of the Gear Fit2, merging the rectangular screen of the Gear Fit with the materials and design characteristics of the Gear S2. The final concept aimed to make the Gear Fit2 a device that is at once sporty and luxurious, and to fit naturally into Samsung’s wearable portfolio.

Q. What were the defining moments of the design process of the Gear Fit2?

Howard Nuk: There were many areas of focus during the design process because there were so many factors to consider.

First, we wanted the device to fit just about everyone, so we focused on the differences in people’s wrists, such as size variations, as well as their comfort level and desired point of contact when wearing something. As such, we spent a considerable amount of time determining the optimal curvature and size for the device.

We also wanted it to work with a vertical based UX. And we wanted to provide two side-by-side touch zones for usability. So we experimented with many different screen sizes and ratios until we found the ideal combination to meet our requirements. For example, we employed a 1:2 display aspect ratio on the Gear Fit2 so that its music player can display the skip forward and backward buttons in a horizontal line.

Q. Tell us a bit about how you selected the color, materials and finish (CMF) of the Gear Fit2.

Seounghyun Son: We selected colors—black, pink and blue—that are more “lifestyle” (as opposed to high-tech) so that the device could be worn in both fitness environments and everyday life. Overall, the colors are more subtle than bright, thus increasing the likelihood that someone would wear it all day. Additionally, we wanted to increase the appeal of the band by making it softer than the original Gear Fit and by using a 3-dimensional pattern rather than the 2-dimensional pattern of the Gear Fit.

Q. What are the main differences between the Gear Fit2 and the previous model in terms of mechanical features?

Hyunjun Kim: The Gear Fit2 differentiates itself with a premium, more refined design. We accomplished this by applying aluminum materials rather than plastic ones. To avoid discomfort, we worked hard to make it lightweight. Needless to say, applying metal to a wearable was no easy feat, even though Samsung has been incorporating it into its products, including its smartphone models, since last year.

We also included an improved clasp that uses a secure loop to prevent the device from falling off, and created both large and small variants to ensure that it will fit a wide variety of wrist sizes.

Youjung Song: As a sports band, waterproofness is one of the most fundamental features of the Gear Fit2. Since the device boasts a curved display and very thin bezels, we couldn’t use the materials and structures that are typically utilized to ensure waterproofness. So, we employed a special waterproofing material different from the one we used with the Gear Fit, to ensure IP68-level water and dust resistance. In fact, the material is the same one we used in the Galaxy S7 edge.

Q. What was your biggest focus in developing the main body of the Gear Fit2?

Hyunjun Kim: Because the Gear Fit2 is a wearable device, there was no right method for developing the body, since comfort is different for everyone. It was really challenging to create a design that the majority of people would feel comfortable wearing. So we focused on improving the quality of experience (QoE)—which is inevitably subjective—while being faithful to the basics to develop the product and maintain the design concept at the same time.

Youjung Song: To realize the refined design and useful features of the Gear Fit2, we used a wide variety of materials including curved glass, metal, plastic, silicon and urethane compound. Instead of carving the metallic part to create a curve, we applied the appropriate amount of pressure to bend it in the same curvature as the curved glass. This perfectly interlocked it with the main body and band, making the parts appear as a single object.

The fact that each material required different engineering processes made this a challenge.
Furthermore, we also had to find a way to ensure cost-efficient production to make the Gear Fit2 more affordable.

Q. What was the most difficult part of developing the main body of the Gear Fit2?

Youjung Song: Due to its shape, and the device’s small size, there wasn’t enough room to fit all the components inside. So, to make the most of the curved internal space, we applied some changes in its structure, such as splitting the mainboard into three parts. We even had to develop a tool called a “zig” to apply the right amount pressure on a curved surface—a technique we had never tried. We also produced some super-small components exclusively for the Gear Fit2. In particular, ensuring waterproofness required us to tap into different technologies and materials.

Hyunjun Kim: For me, the hardest part of developing the Gear Fit2 was creating its band. We had to find a way to satisfy people with wrists of all sizes and also consider numerous factors including how the ends of the band would be clasped together, whether the band needed an extra clasp to prevent it from falling off, ease of use and consumer feedback. Seeing as the Gear Fit2 is the first wristband design with a clasp, there was a mixed reaction to it.

Q. What makes the Gear Fit2 band so special?

Hyunjun Kim: The Gear Fit2 comes with softer band materials to provide a more comfortable fit than its predecessor and the Gear S2. The joint is certainly one of a kind, as it’s made from a special material with excellent durability to remain unchanged, even after thousands of rounds of clasps. Furthermore, clasping is easier. We also made improvements in the top color coating materials to provide an even better fit.

Seounghyun Son: We applied different patterns on the two sides of the band. On the outer side, we used a 3D pattern to add a touch of luxury, even though it doesn’t affect the usability of the device. We made the inner side of the band fast-drying so that it stays wearable, even when the device is exposed to water.

Q. What was your focus when designing the charging dock of the Gear Fit2?

Hyunjun Kim: There are actually two POGO pins on the charging dock so that the Gear Fit2 can charge upside down or right-side up. In addition, the dock has the same curvature as the Gear Fit2, and is equipped with magnets (which are also embedded in the Gear Fit2’s main body) to make charging an effortless task. Lastly, we continued to make micro adjustments on the dock to prevent corrosion in the case that your device is wet.

From left to right: Engineer Youjung Song, Senior Designer Seounghyun Son and Senior Engineer Hyunjun Kim

Note: Howard Nuk, VP of Samsung Design America, and Jeff Jones, Designer of Samsung Design America, contributed their opinions via email.

The Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition comprises a package that includes a sleek, deep-black Galaxy S7 edge, accentuated by gold detailing and an iconic rear seal, inspired by Batman, one of the DC characters featured in the game. But what went into designing the Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition? Senior Designer Kwangmoon Kim, Senior Designer Junwon Lee and Assistant Designer Soohyun Kim in the Mobile business explained the ideas and concepts that went into the game-inspired design.

(From left to right) Senior Designer Kwangmoon Kim, Assistant Designer Soohyun Kim and Senior Designer Junwon Lee)

Q. What was the main concept and principle aim behind the Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition?

Junwon Lee: Our aim was to create a complete package that had a special meaning for Injustice: Gods Among Us game and Batman character fans. It includes a specially designed Galaxy S7 edge, a smartphone case and a Gear VR. The main color we used was black, and we also added a touch of gold.

Q. Why did you choose black and gold?

Junwon Lee: No matter if you are a fan or not, black and gold are the colors that most often come to mind when people think about Batman. The Batman character’s design has continued to change, but the black and gold themes used in Batman in 1990s’ still resonate with many people. We decided that these two colors best matched this edition, and our partner companies agreed.

Soohyun Kim: The logo – a black bat on yellow background – is very well-known. In the Batman movies and cartoons, the Bat-Signal, a yellow searchlight with a black bat emblem is projected onto the night sky as a means of calling Batman. Gold reminds people of the Bat-Signal and we believe the color can be attractive to both fans and non-fans alike.

Kwangmoon Kim: We thought about ways to add the gold-colored elements without altering the image of the new edition. As a result, the package presents a unique look as a whole, with each device piece imbued with a touch of gold.

Q. What are the differences between the Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition and the S7 edge Black Onyx?

Junwon Lee: We wanted to find a unique black hue for the Injustice Edition. The handset mainly consists of two colors: black and gold. Black encompasses the whole body, including the metal frame, unlike the standard Black Onyx version of the S7 edge. This matt-finish black represents Batman’s suit. Gold, on the other hand, was applied on the logo, edge of the home button and rear camera to make them stand out. We examined a number of image samples for the Batman logo on the back, with consideration given to size and dimension, and, following discussions with our partner companies, eventually selected one.

Q. The special edition’s Gear VR and phone case are also unique. What were these items’ main design focus?

Junwon Lee: Our collaboration with the Injustice: Gods Among Us game also led to the creation of the special black version of the Gear VR with a matt finish. The phone case is a reinterpretation of Batman’s suit, and we made an effort to visualize this in a metaphorical sense, rather than make it too obvious. We chose a material that is both comfortable to grip and durable, but that also maximizes the matt texture. The case also needed to combine great looks and optimum protection. We had to make sure it did not compromise the simple beauty of the Galaxy S7 edge by adding too much detail.

Soohyun Kim: I had never really been interested in superheroes, so at first it was hard for me to understand a strong masculine character. However, I soon realized that Batman was not born with superpowers – he is an ordinary person who decided to make the effort to become a superhero. We wanted to showcase his wise and mysterious characteristics on the packaging. Batman uses a variety of gadgets to augment his powers, and we wanted the Injustice Edition package to match with this kind of equipment.

Q. What did you need to consider when you design a product based on a superhero?

Kwangmoon Kim: When we started this project, I was excited about designing the Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition as I enjoyed playing the Injustice game recently, especially with the Batman character in it. We came up with an impression of Batman – a matt-black and solid image – from his characteristics. To turn this idea into a product, though, we needed to bear in mind several considerations. Existing Galaxy S7 edge models had their own shape and a glossy look, and our partner companies have guidelines concerning the use of their superhero characters. We truly examined every elements from every kind of angle to blend them into special, but well balanced.

Junwon Lee: We focused on reflecting the character’s nature and meeting the needs of Batman and Injustice: Gods Among Us game fans. Fans might buy this package edition not just to use its devices, but also so as to own products dedicated to their favorite DC Comics hero. We examined and selected each component of the package from a fan’s perspective and also made proactive suggestions to our partners. The first thing you will see when you open the packaging is a Batman logo badge, which emphasizes the fact that this is a special edition. It is carefully crafted and designed in terms of its size, color and texture. We do not think of this package simply as a way to increase sales. We hope more people will come to appreciate the Samsung and Galaxy brand through our fresh approach and this special edition’s emotional appeal.

Q. Do you recall any stand-out episodes you experienced during the design development?

Kwangmoon Kim: In order to realize the black design for the Galaxy S7 Injustice Edition, we had to work hard and cooperate with other teams. For instance, we had to secure specific set of equipment from existing manufacturing facilities to produce the black metal frame for the special edition. We also had to make numerous attempts to adjust the color and texture to fit with the design. In order to create a totally black look, we even made the slit on the metal frame that provides better antenna performance in black.

Soohyun Kim: I was at a library one day when a book about the history of superhero stories caught my attention, even though I had never really been interested in the subject. I read the book attentively. A few days later, I ended up getting involved in this project – an amazing coincidence. During the production phase, I also learned a lot of things that as a designer I had previously not known about. At the production facility, I could see how important it is be precise and accurate when you are making a quality product. Even a small scratch on the box, a minute color difference or a tiny error in the size of the tray inside the packaging is unacceptable. I learned that great design quality comes from cooperation between different departments, not just from designers themselves.