[Q&A]UX Evolution of Folding Machines: How Samsung Upgraded the UX Design of Z Flip4 and Z Fold4 – Samsung Newsroom Taiwan

Samsung just launched the new Galaxy Z Flip4 and Z Fold4 in August, ushering in a new future of mobile devices. Its screen can be opened at will, and folded at different angles, showing unlimited UX design ingenuity. Galaxy users not only expect a mini phone that fits in their pocket, but also a mobile device that responds to their needs, creates meaningful and flexible experiences, and fits perfectly with their everyday style.

In order to help users gain an in-depth understanding of the design process of the folding machine UX, Samsung News Center interviewed Yoojin Hong, Samsung Executive Vice President and Head of the UX Team of the Mobile Communications Business Unit. As the helm of global user experience design for Samsung mobile products, she offers unique insights into flip and fold applications through the following interview.

Read on to discover what Samsung has in store for the Z Flip4 and Z Fold4, and get a behind-the-scenes look at their flexible and edgy styling.

Q: Where did the inspiration for Samsung’s foldable series come from? How does this series of devices create a new experience for users?

Smartphones have become an indispensable companion in daily life. As users flock to large screens, the large screen mobile phone market has become a battleground for military strategists; Mini portable device. So we ask ourselves, how can we meet the two seemingly contradictory consumer demands and solve the problem at the same time? Samsung’s proposed solution is simple, but not easy: folding screens.

That’s a daunting task in itself, and developing folding screen technology is just the beginning. After establishing a new form factor, we realized that designing a UX for a foldable device was a completely different experience than a typical smartphone, requiring a complete rethinking of the smartphone experience. In addition, we have also discovered that these new product forms gradually rewrite the interaction between humans and machines, and this change has spawned new life application models, not only for high-end model users, but also for everyday users. Folding machines meet evolving user needs in amazing ways.

Q: Samsung’s folding machineUXWhat is the design concept?

When creating a mobile user experience, most manufacturers only need to consider a single-sided static screen. However, the foldable is a dual-screen mobile device, so the UX has to be smoother. This has been the basis of the overall design concept from the very beginning.

Our folding machine design concept revolves around two main axes. First, UX design is both new and familiar. Folding machines bring new form factors to consumers, offering a variety of innovative advantages; while the user experience is refreshing, it cannot be completely unfamiliar—there should be no steep learning curve. As far as folding phones are concerned, our design philosophy is that the UI is almost invisible. It should be very intuitive, allowing users to get started quickly and easily.

Furthermore, foldable mobile phones should be tools to assist users in creating. Smartphones have evolved from a mere communication medium to a device that can unleash endless creativity through photography, art, games, etc. We wanted to make sure that Samsung’s UX enhanced that experience.

Since the launch of the first Galaxy Fold, we have launched a new generation of models every year. These phones have evolved in a variety of ways beyond expectations. Some are as we originally planned, some have been tempered over time, learn from experience, and have valuable opinions from users.

ask:Z FlipandZ FoldHow is the audience of the series different?？

Both the Z Flip series and the Z Fold series are folding mobile phones, but each has a different appearance and customer base. Z Flip users see the device in their hands as a form of self-expression, enjoying the variety and unique personality its form offers. Z Fold users, on the other hand, love the big-screen experience, the enjoyment of doing more at the same time and viewing more content at once; they love making quick decisions and saving time for more important things.

These customer groups with different attributes have given different feedback to previous generations of products, which has become an important key for us to shape Z Flip4 and Z Fold4. In the case of Z Flip, we hope to provide users with more ways to express themselves and personalize their experiences. As for Z Fold users, we hope to enhance the interactive experience on the big screen, especially for multitasking.

However, we keep it in mind – these new devices are not designed for advanced users, but for everyone.

Q: The new generationZ Flip4ofUIWhat upgrades have been made with custom functions?

The Z Flip4 allows users to customize the overall appearance of the device, from the body color, accessories, inner screen UI – now even the cover screen UI, can have their own personal color. The customization provided by it is not only to decorate the mobile phone UX, but also needs to be extended to customize the user experience. Z Flip4 is equipped with a brand-new cover screen function, which allows users not only to customize the appearance of the cover screen, but also to take advantage of various useful gadgets and other functions.

We also noticed that Z Flip users enjoy a unique shooting experience with the folded shape of the device. So in the case of the Z Flip4, we continued to build features that help express ourselves and enhance the camera UI to open up new possibilities for FlexCam.

Q: The new generationZ Fold4optimizedUIDesign, how to improve user productivity and achieve more with less effort?

We have evolved the human-computer interaction, reduced the steps to start the setting, and redesigned the menu and layout to make the operation buttons more closely arranged. This is important on large screens because it reduces the number of “necessary finger operations” for entering frequently used commands.

We’ve simplified the big screen experience with faster program switching and startup. To achieve this goal, we added the familiar Taskbar resident toolbar, which can be launched at any time regardless of the user’s running program.

Finally, we also injected more flexibility into the visual browsing of multiple applications on the screen through gestures such as split screen and floating windows. When you swipe from any corner to the center with one finger, you can switch the currently used application to a floating window. And two fingers swipe toward the center from the left, right, or bottom of the screen to split the screen in two. Such gesture operations help to improve work efficiency and give users a sense of accomplishment every day.

Q: How does Samsung’s cooperation philosophy pave the way for the overall folding machine market?

From the very beginning, we have been working with Google to build the folding phone ecosystem, exchanging ideas and developing new features or technologies along the way. In order to realize our folding vision, we have established a close partnership with Google from the beginning, and even cooperated at the code level to modify the Android operating system to meet the application needs of the folding screen. We understand that improvements to the Android operating system are necessary in order to work efficiently on newer types of screens. Long before we published the folding machine, this task was the number one goal of our folding journey.

There is no doubt that we will continue to work with industry giants, including Google, Meta and Microsoft, to achieve an optimized folding screen experience. Applications such as Chrome, Gmail, Microsoft’s full Office suite and Outlook are now available on the Z Fold’s large screen for the ultimate multitasking experience. Thanks to our partnership with Meta, FlexCam has been optimized for the most popular social platforms today – including Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook.

In my opinion, it is self-evident that it is important to build a folding ecosystem to enrich the user experience, and at the same time continue to expand the application ecosystem under the concept of open cooperation.

Q: User behavior and user experience are constantly evolving. In conclusion, how do you keep up with the times and keep abreast of emerging consumer demands?

In the UX design of previous generations of models, we started with the necessary elements and resolved the challenges that came before us. Next, we developed new technologies to provide more screen real estate while maintaining the compact size of the device. New designs not only solve immediate problems, they also change user behavior, changing the way people take pictures and interact with machines. For users of folding machines, these new behaviors naturally become their daily routine.

Of course, they also bring new challenges that have never been seen before – and that’s what drives us forward as UX designers. Users imagine new possibilities, and these possibilities become a consumer demand. To meet these needs, we have a responsibility to foster innovative technologies. As the wheel of innovation continues to turn, we’re excited to get our hands dirty and pave the way for the next step in tomorrow’s technology.