Image of 14 Samsung colleagues including VP Jeong-sook Lee (VP of Experience Planning Group, MX Business, Samsung UK) smiling and standing together on the Samsung KX stage for the Samsung Supporters event

LONDON, UK – May 16, 2024, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Samsung and members of RNIB and RNID gathered at Samsung KX to launch its first Samsung Supporter’s group in the UK, focused on feedback from customers to drive innovation in accessibility features on Samsung devices.

Over 40 people were in attendance as leaders from Samsung including VP Jeong-sook Lee (VP of Experience Planning Group, MX Business, Samsung UK) and Mikael Fodor (Senior UX Researcher, MQA UX CXI Part, Samsung R&D Institute UK) took to the stage. The event covered a range of topics including Samsung’s progress so far in bringing more accessible features to its products, and how customers can report or feedback on accessibility improvements.

“With continued advancements in technology, we’re looking at how we can use these to improve the accessibility of our products. Our collaboration at Samsung with partners such as RNID and RNIB is vital in getting expert, invaluable feedback for our product and engineering teams in order to achieve this goal,” said Richard Moreton, Technology Standardisation, Business Development & Industrial Affairs, Samsung R&D Insitute UK.

Samsung, RNID and RNIB have a long history of working together to make sure its consumer products are accessible to as many people as possible. Samsung is striving to create enjoyable experiences for everyone, for example on its industry-leading TVs. Samsung’s Smart TVs have earned RNIB’s “Tried and Tested” Certification, which is awarded to products based on their suitability for people who are blind or partially sighted. Not only does this certification help guide consumer purchasing decisions, but it also holds manufacturers accountable to design products with all users in mind.

To find out more about how Samsung is making products more accessible, visit: https://www.samsung.com/uk/sustainability/accessibility/overview/

RNIB awards its “Tried and Tested” standard to products, websites, apps or services which meet the charity’s criteria for accessibility for consumers with sight loss. This distinction enables the users to make easier purchase decisions and also underscores Samsung’s pledge to improving accessibility features on its TVs.

Samsung has worked with RNIB for nearly a decade, ensuring its products are suited with the most efficient features to offer accessibility for all consumers. This year’s accreditation is the second time Samsung have been awarded the ‘Tried and Tested’ standard, having first been recognised by the charity in 2020.

Samsung is committed to enhancing accessibility features for users who are blind or partially sighted by offering features including the below:

• Voice Guide – users can listen to key information on programmes as well as instructions for the remote control and accessibility features. Individuals can also adjust the pitch and speed of the Voice Guide to suit their preferences.
• High Contrast – users can change the background colour of the main service screen to black and the text colour to white or yellow to increase visibility and reduce eye strain. Plus, the transparent TV menu screen is automatically changed to opaque to make text more legible.
• Greyscale – This feature allows users to change the colour of the screen to black and white by using grayscale if they have trouble recognising colours or have high eye strain.
• Colour Inversion – users can invert the background to black and the text to white If they are sensitive to light or have poor eyesight. Colour inversion helps to increase visual recognition, reduce glare and reduce eye strain.
• SeeColors – The SeeColors app, available on all Samsung QLED TVs, helps those with a colour vision deficiency to adjust screen colour to suit their eyes.
• Enlarge – this feature magnifies specific fonts related to TV control, volume and menus.

Baekjun Lim, Corporate Vice President, Head of R&D Samsung Research UK comments: “We are hugely proud to have been awarded the ‘Tried and Tested Accreditation’ for the second time by RNIB. Here at Samsung, we are always looking for ways to improve our technology and we remain committed to ensure that our features are accessible for all so that users can watch their favourite shows without difficulty.”

RNIB is the UK’s leading sight loss charity. The charity helps people to understand the needs of individuals with sight loss and supports brands to understand how they can make their technologies more accessible to blind and partially sighted people. The charity undertakes usability assessments to highlight any barriers that is preventing people with disabilities from using the technology.

David Clarke, Chief Operating Officer at RNIB, said: “We’re delighted to have awarded Samsung with our Tried and Tested standard for the second time. Their efforts in ensuring that blind and partially sighted people are kept at the forefront when it comes to accessibility and design make a huge difference to the everyday lives of people living with sight loss.

We look forward to continuing to work with Samsung on future projects.”

RNIB awards its “Tried and Tested” accreditation to products, websites, apps or services which meet RNIB criteria for accessibility for consumers with impaired vision. This distinction enables the users to make easier purchase decisions and also underscores Samsung’s commitment to improving accessibility features on its TVs.

Samsung has worked with RNIB since 2013 to ensure that Samsung products are suited with the proper features to offer accessibility for all consumers.

Since 2014, Samsung has focused on enhancing accessibility features for users who are visually impaired, providing features such as ‘Voice Guide’ that enables the TV to read aloud program information and ‘High Contrast’ mode that displays graphic information with opaque black backgrounds and white font for enhanced visibility. In recognition of these features, RNIB presented its ‘Inclusive Society Award’ to Samsung Electronics in 2016.

Since then, Samsung Electronics has continued to improve and expand the accessibility features on its TVs to better achieve digital inclusivity for deaf and hearing impaired people as well as blind and partially sighted people. Features include:

• With upgraded Voice Guide feature, users can listen to key information on programs as well as instructions for the remote control and accessibility features. Users also can adjust the pitch and speed of the Voice Guide to suit their preferences.
• The Digital Magnifier which enhances and expands text and images on large screens while mirroring the Samsung Galaxy smartphone to a TV[1].
• The Focus Enlarge feature magnifies specific fonts related to TV control, volume and menus.
• Automatic recognition and enlargement of the sign language area for the hearing-impaired as well as ability to adjust and move the subtitle positions.

“With a growing variety of content and features, people are now having more fun with their smart TVs,” said Kangwook Chun, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is fully committed to providing comprehensive accessibility features on its TVs so that every user can enjoy their favorite content much more easily,” he added.

David Clarke, Director of Services at RNIB, said, “RNIB is delighted to award our Tried and Tested certification to Samsung in recognition of the accessibility features within their TV. RNIB and Samsung have worked together since 2013, and each year the accessibility features on their televisions have been improved and expanded.”

[1] Digital Magnifier may not be available on some Samsung mobile devices.