A few months ago, a Samsung executive claimed the Galaxy S5 would have a brand new design. Now that the smartphone has been unveiled, Samsung is busy explaining why people don’t need redesigns every year.
When it comes to the smartphone world, high-end and powerful specs are important, but the design of the actual device is really what the majority of prospective customers base their decision on, when picking up the latest and greatest flagship smartphone or tablet.
Steve Jobs and Apple proved this point when it unveiled the original iPhone in January 2007. At that time, the major smartphone players were BlackBerry, Palm, HTC, Motorola, and Samsung. As Steve Jobs believed and famously pointed out during his presentation, the smartphone world would never be the same now that Apple was entering it with the iPhone and what would be the blueprint for other smartphone makers to follow.
During Apple’s legal battles with Samsung, Apple showed image of what Samsung’s smartphones looked like prior to the iPhone and pictures of what its handsets looked like after the iPhone was released. Apple ushered in the multitouch slate form factor, while its rivals abandoned their dated looks for the iPhone’s style. In Samsung’s case, this also led to Apple winning over $1 billion in a patent case with Samsung.
Samsung just announced and is showing off the Samsung Galaxy S5 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and a company executive spoke to CNET about why the company now believes. "People don't need radical redesigns every year."
"I don't think that people need radical re-designs every year," said Samsung's vice president for brand, Stephen Taylor. "You have to create a design theme that people identify with. If you came out with a radical design right now, would that have fitted with the Galaxy story that we have created over the last 3 or 4 years? It's about making evolutions that matter, so I think the improvements to the covers, finishes and colors are a step forward for people.
"If you look at the feedback, it felt like making [the phone] more durable and keeping the sleek design was what people were after. Waterproof and dustproof elements are more important," Taylor said.
It appears that this is more damage control on Samsung’s part than its new realization that smartphones don’t need to feature a redesign every year. Reactions to the Galaxy S5 have been very mixed and its strongest criticism is how similar it looks to both the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4.
Note to Samsung: Of course we don’t need a redesign every year. Look at Apple's iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s. Just don’t give us a new smartphone that looks very similar to one you released three years ago and you wouldn’t have to make these statements.
Are you inclinded to purchase a smartphone that looks very similar to last year's model or hold out until one with an updated design is released? Let us know in the comments below.
