At Samsung, innovation begins with empathy. On Global Accessibility Awareness Day, we pause to reflect on a simple yet powerful idea: technology should be for everyone. Inclusive technology that helps individuals with disabilities achieve their goals.

Whether it is a refrigerator that anticipates your needs, a smartwatch that recognises your voice, or a television that listens and responds, our goal remains unchanged.  We are creating meaningful experiences for everyone, regardless of ability.

We prioritize accessibility in our products by addressing vision, hearing, mobility, and cognitive needs, ensuring that everyone has an equitable experience.

Accessibility is a Design Principle

At Samsung, accessibility is a design principle. It is a lens through which we approach innovation. From the nascent stages of product development, Samsung designers and engineers work hand-in-hand with users with diverse abilities.

This philosophy guides everything—from tactile buttons on remote controls to AI voice assistance in our home appliances.

Led by its “AI for All” vision, Samsung continues to develop smart home appliances that are intuitive and convenient for diverse home environments. These accessibility features are designed to make appliances easier to use for individuals with disabilities and older adults, reflecting the company’s commitment to inclusive design.

Intelligence That Understands and Adapts

The Bespoke AI Double Door Refrigerator, for instance, uses advanced AI to learn routines and preferences, reducing effort and enhancing usability for everyone, including those with mobility or cognitive challenges. It’s about designing appliances that not only respond but anticipate. Samsung appliances enhance everyday living by offering accessibility, adaptability, and aesthetic design, all at once.

From Refrigerators to Vacuum Cleaners, for specific products, find all features here:

https://www.samsung.com/in/sustainability/accessibility/home-appliances/

The Galaxy Ecosystem

Inclusive by Design, the Galaxy wearable ecosystem, accessibility and AI go hand-in-hand. From gesture controls to real-time voice feedback and customizable touch interactions, these devices empower users to navigate their world more independently—no matter their ability. The launch of Galaxy Ring marks a massive leap in Samsung’s commitment to democratize cutting-edge technology for everyone, helping users turn data into meaningful insights and create a whole new world of expanded, intelligent health experiences. Galaxy Ring is not just another wearable, it’s a revolutionary health-tech device that blends innovation with accessibility.

Find a detailed overview of all the features here:

https://www.samsung.com/in/sustainability/accessibility/mobile/

Visual Innovation for All

Samsung Neo QLED TVs offer innovations like AI-powered captioning, audio description, and screen reader functions, helping users with hearing or vision impairments experience entertainment on their own terms.

You can access all the accessibility features related to Vision, Hearing and Mobility here:

https://www.samsung.com/in/sustainability/accessibility/tv-audio/

Technology is powerful when it includes everyone. As we observe Global Accessibility Awareness Day, we remain committed to breaking down barriers and building bridges—with every product, every update, and every idea. At Samsung, “AI for All” is not a tagline. It’s our promise.

In step with users’ needs, Samsung has refined and reimagined its original human-centered design philosophy established in 1996 — “Inspired by Humans, Creating the Future.”

This new design direction brings together Samsung’s commitment to innovating with purpose and delivering meaningful improvements to lives. Explore the evolution of Samsung Design Identity through the infographic below.

It’s always exciting to develop a product and introduce it to the market. Whenever I take on this challenge, I wonder if the new product will resonate with customers — perhaps, it will even become a game changer and impact lives in meaningful ways.

If we look more closely at the product development process, design makes innovative technologies shine while technology makes design dreams a reality. Only when design and technology are in perfect harmony can we develop a product that provides genuine value to our users. Samsung Electronics excels at balancing design with innovative technology, and we continually strive to create products that blend seamlessly into our customers’ lives.

To this end, we have redefined our design philosophy as we approach 2030. “Samsung Design Identity 5.0 (DI 5.0): Essential∙Innovative∙Harmonious”¹ is the new direction that will define the future we hope to provide.

Samsung’s Design Philosophy and Its Evolution

More than 1,500 designers work at Samsung’s seven global design studios to solve everyday problems facing a wide range of customers, each from a different culture or background with unique preferences and tastes. At the center of this effort is Samsung’s design philosophy — “Inspired by Humans, Creating the Future” — which has not changed since its inception in 1996.

But the way people live and experience their lives is constantly changing, and we have had to refine and evolve our design identity to reflect that. “Samsung Design Identity 5.0: Essential∙Innovative∙Harmonious” is the vision that will guide us through 2030. Moving forward, we’ll continue to introduce smartphones, TVs, refrigerators and other products that reflect this new mindset.

Essential∙Innovative∙Harmonious. What Does That Mean?

Essential design focuses on the original intent and purpose of the product — to provide an optimized user experience without any unnecessary elements. This year, the latest Galaxy S24 series allows users to intuitively experience the functions of a mobile product with its unified look and thin bezel. Our TVs with Infinity Air Design appear to float in mid-air for more immersive viewing. On the other hand, our all-in-one washer and dryer maximizes space efficiency through a minimalist design.

Innovative design brings valuable changes — not merely novelty — to our customers’ lives. Examples include a TV that automatically upscales low-resolution images to 8K level using AI technology; an AI-based robot vacuum cleaner that automatically recognizes floor type, objects and living spaces for optimal cleaning; and a Live Translate feature that helps smartphone users overcome language barriers through real-time translation. These products all merge innovation with creativity.

Harmonious design embodies the desire to unify products and people with society, the environment and other human values. SmartThings improves convenience by integrating and connecting products for users to control remotely. Meanwhile, Music Frame, a customizable frame-shaped speaker, blends into any interior. Designs that create harmony between products and customers’ daily lives — rather than designs that announce their own existence — are the kind we will continue to pursue.

A Future of Infinite Possibilities

At Samsung, this is our commitment — to be faithful to our essential purpose, innovate endlessly and create designs that harmonize with our users’ lives. We aim to empower customers around the globe and enrich their lives by offering meaningful experiences, no matter what Samsung products they choose.

At Milan Design Week 2024, we are presenting the exhibition “Newfound Equilibrium” to showcase an inspiring vision for a better future — one that achieves the right balance between humans and technology. Join us on April 16 for a future of infinite possibilities.

¹ History of Samsung’s Design Identities
Design Identity 1.0 (2001-2005): Simplicity with Resonance
Design Identity 2.0 (2006-2010): Create an Emotional Journey
Design Identity 3.0 (2011-2018): Make It Meaningful
Design Identity 4.0 (2019-2022): Be Bold. Resonate With Soul.
Design Identity 5.0 (2023-2030): Essential∙Innovative∙Harmonious.

Founded in 1953 as Die Gute Industrieform e.V., the iF Design Award conducts comprehensive evaluations of differentiation and impact, among others, in a total of nine categories — Product, Packaging, Communication, Professional Concept, Interior Architecture, Architecture, Service Design, User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI).

“It is important for a design to connect the changing values with innovative technologies,” said Jinsoo Kim, Executive Vice President at Corporate Design Center in Samsung Electronics. “We are committed to offering a meaningful experience that both meets the various demands of customers and improves the quality of our lives.”

Three Gold Award Winning Products Recognized for Designs That Offer Customized Experiences to Different Lifestyles

The Freestyle is a portable screen that can display as large as 254cm in diagonal length depending on the environment where it is used, be it on the wall, the ceiling or the floor as it rotates 180 degrees.

Thanks to its lightweight and minimal design, The Freestyle is highly portable, allowing the user to hold it in one hand, and can be used with ease both indoors and outside such as on camping sites. Depending on each individual lifestyle, it can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker or as an ambient lamp that can glow light in various colors.

The Galaxy Z Flip3 was honored for its iconic and compact design that comes with premium features and exclusive foldable experiences, providing a truly personalized smartphone experience. With Galaxy Z Flip3’s unique form factor, users are able to enjoy the full smartphone experience when unfolded and pocketable design when folded in half. Not only is the design refined by providing a large Cover Screen, but it also maximizes the usability by allowing users to view notifications and capture a quick photo even when folded.

The vacuum cleaner The Bespoke Slim also won the Gold Award for its simple design that blends well with the surrounding living space. The Bespoke concept, which brings customized products to fit lifestyles and tastes, was applied to the product, improving the experience throughout the entire cleaning process from product storage to dust emptying.

Total of 71 Awards, From Product to UX Design, Including TV, Home appliance and Smartphones

With its designs being recognized in all categories at the iF Design Award 2022 including Product and User Interface (UI), Samsung Electronics won the most number of awards totaling 71.

In addition to the three Gold Awards, the Neo QLED 8K, the Bespoke French Door Refrigerator and the Galaxy Buds2 also won awards in the Product category.

The One UI 4, new interface of Galaxy smartphones that enables users to customize their devices, and the Galaxy Upcycling at Home, which allows users to build a smart home by recycling unused Galaxy phones into Home IoT devices were also recognized for the design excellence.