Samsung has always been committed to delivering a consistent experience for all Samsung Galaxy users. In line with this effort, Samsung is highlighting Universal Gestures^[1], an innovative accessibility feature for the Galaxy Watch. Designed to empower individuals with a touch-free experience through simple and intuitive movements, Universal Gestures was introduced as part of the One UI 5 Watch update.

Universal Gestures offers users a valuable alternative to the interactions needed to operate the device, all without lifting a finger or pressing a button. With four distinct gestures – Make Fist, Make Fist Twice, Pinch and Double Pinch – users are able to navigate their Galaxy Watch in ways that work best for them.

How to Turn On Universal Gestures

To activate Universal Gestures on the Galaxy Watch^[2], follow these simple steps:

Once the Universal Gestures feature is enabled, your Galaxy Watch will indicate it with a customisable coloured outline, allowing you to utilise this intuitive mode for a tailored and accessible experience.

Make Fist to Open Action Menu and Select

Within Universal Gestures, the Make Fist gesture simplifies the process of selecting and opening items on the Galaxy Watch.

Make Fist Twice gesture unveils the Action menu, which is an array of convenient options accessible right from your wrist. Imagine this menu as a toolbox packed with essential tools, such as opening the apps menu, going to the previous screen and displaying recent apps, readily available whenever you need it. The Action menu is also dynamic, adjusting its content based on whichever screen is currently open when the user activates the Action menu. When you are ready to select the item, simply make a fist.

Pinch to Navigate Back and Forth

The Pinch and Double Pinch gestures on the Galaxy Watch offer new touch-free ways for users to interact with their Galaxy Watch, which are especially beneficial for individuals facing mobility limitations. With these two gestures, you can navigate from one item to another or go back to the previous item.

Scroll through your messages, browse your calendar items or peruse your photo album – these are all made possible with the Pinch gesture.

Accessibility is about removing barriers and delivering seamless experiences to everyone. That is why Universal Gestures offers users intuitive control over their Galaxy Watch. For instance, Samsung Galaxy users can easily change any of the actions of these four gestures, further personalising their device to better serve their needs.

Another Notable Galaxy Watch Control Feature

The Galaxy Watch’s Gestures^[3], located within Advanced features, is another standout feature that offers a convenient shortcut for actions — answering calls, dismissing alerts or swiftly quick launching apps — all achievable through simple hand and arm motions.

[1] Available on the Galaxy Watch6, Watch5 and Watch4 series with One UI 5 Watch

[2] Activation gesture, used to activate Universal Gestures, may vary based on the Galaxy Watch model, software version, region and carrier.

[3] To enable Gestures, go to Settings > find Advanced features and scroll down to Gestures > turn on each gesture.

London, UK – 7th August 2018 – Samsung Electronics today announced that its mobile payment and digital wallet, Samsung Pay, is now available to Cornercard UK card holders. Cornercard UK are the leading business-to-business prepaid card specialists, and this new partnership expands their pre-existing contactless functionality, enabling a seamless, convenient payment experience.

Since launching Samsung Pay last year, Samsung has focused on building the functionalities of the service to provide the best possible user experience. Key capabilities include:

• Simplicity: With Samsung Pay every transaction is easy and convenient¹. Samsung Pay uses Near Field Communication (NFC) making the user experience seamless. Users can launch Samsung Pay with a simple swipe from the bottom edge of their screen to bring up the last used credit or debit card, use their iris², pin or fingerprint to prove their identity, and tap their device on a payment terminal to make a payment. Samsung Pay allows customers to use contactless payment for transactions over £30 (subject to merchant policies).

• Security: Samsung is committed to ensuring its customers have complete peace of mind when it comes to mobile payments and digital wallets. Each transaction is authenticated by fingerprint, pin number or iris scan², and uses an encrypted digital token to replace sensitive card information to help prevent fraud. Additionally, Samsung’s industry-leading Knox security platform is built into the hardware and software of your device, which ensures mobile information and data is secure.

• Access (Almost Anywhere): Samsung Pay is accepted almost anywhere you can use your contactless credit or debit card in the UK.

Samsung Pay functionality is currently available with the Galaxy S9+, S9, Note8, S8+, S8, S7 edge, S7, S6 edge+, S6 edge, S6, A8, A5 2017 & A3 2017. Samsung Pay is also available on the Gear S3 and Gear Sport smartwatches (when paired with a compatible smartphone, running Android 4.4 KitKat and above¬).

1 Available with participating networks, banks and merchants on selected devices, on NFC terminals. A limit of £30 may apply, based on merchant policies. Corporate cards currently not in scope.
2 Currently available on the Samsung Galaxy S9+, S9, Note8, S8+, S8

The goal of the ongoing research initiative is to identify common difficulties that the elderly and people with disabilities face when using household appliances. Each time Samsung invites these consumers to provide their valuable insight, they reveal new ways to improve its appliances’ accessibility, ultimately helping Samsung design innovations that make it easy for all users to experience seamless convenience at home.

Innovating for Ease of Use

Participants sampled a wide range of Samsung appliances, including its latest refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, vacuums and ovens, in the Campus’s Home Experience Lab, commenting afterward on the impact that enhancements such as voice support and ergonomic designs had on ease of use.

As one participant explained, “[For me], analog products have always been relatively easy to use, but digital appliances can be more difficult, due to features like touchscreens that change the way they work. But when I tried using the appliances that had voice support, I thought I could use them easily, even by myself.”

A Lineup of Inclusive Offerings

Some of Samsung’s latest home appliances, including its flagship Family Hub refrigerator line, as well as select vacuum cleaners and air conditioners available in Korea, feature advanced voice-recognition or voice-guidance technology that makes them easy for anyone, including those with various visual impairments, to use.

Voice guidance and recognition are deeply rooted into the Family Hub refrigerator’s intuitive interface, allowing the visually impaired to easily access the wide range of useful information that the smart appliances were designed to provide. This includes auditory updates on their refrigerator’s contents, as well as voice readouts of Family Hub’s morning briefs, which inform users of the day’s weather, and recipes in the refrigerator’s built-in cooking apps.

In addition, the built-in displays of Family Hub refrigerators allow users with colour blindness to convert their displays to black and white for easier reading, and allow short-statured users to lower their display to an optimal height.

The Virtual Flame that lights up Samsung’s Induction Range also makes it easier for users with visual impairments to comfortably manage meals. Built-in LED lights shine onto pots and pans to create the impression of flames on a gas cooktop, allowing users to check, with a simple glance, whether the range is off or on and even at what strength.

Lastly, the Samsung Connect app, which offers users a control center for a wide variety of smart home appliances, has also been optimized with voice guidance, making it easier for visually impaired users to control their devices.

Samsung’s efforts to identify new ways to deliver convenient and inclusive products to consumers’ homes underline its ongoing commitment to developing user-friendly products and services that offer anyone access to cutting-edge innovation.