Samsung brings Mercedes-Benz designer to make classier flagship Galaxy phones
Samsung has hired a new chief designer who previously worked for Mercedes-Benz in China and the United States in an effort to alter the company’s approach to smartphone design. Hubert H. Lee has joined the South Korean behemoth as the head of design for the mobile division, where he will be responsible for developing flagship products like the Galaxy S series. For Samsung, “his unique and visionary perspective will help shape the look and feel of Galaxy, building on the distinct design ethos that users know and love,” the company said.
Lee will be in charge of leading Samsung’s Mobile Experience (MX) design team, which is responsible for developing the company’s most successful products. However, the incorporation of his suggestions and revisions into the company’s offerings will take some time. Lee has been providing design inputs to Mercedes-Benz, where he has gained experience in the luxury automotive industry. With the help of such a talented person, Samsung will be able to change the way it thinks about design and better compete with Apple and other industry leaders.
The next generation of Samsung’s Galaxy S flagship phones is expected to be unveiled next month, and based on the leaks available so far, the design seems to be unchanged from the model it will replace. The Galaxy S24 family may follow suit, maintaining the same design language while introducing Lee’s personal flair. Jony Ive was an integral part of Apple’s team for many years, and his departure has left the Cupertino company’s product designs feeling stagnant. With the wearables market has grown at such a rapid rate over the past few years, Samsung will be hoping that Lee can have a similar impact on the company by helping to develop new products in addition to smartphones.
Samsung intends to make significant modifications to its mobile division. We’ve heard that it’s disbanding its Exynos division in order to focus on developing a new mobile chip with a fresh set of engineers.