Fire Alarm Companies

Lee Min-Hyuk challenges against iPhone rival smartphones

When ran its first smartphone on the market in a panic reaction to the success of the iPhone, some customers the product burned in the streets with a hammer to pieces in public demonstrations of discontent.

complaints ranging from dropped calls and a touchscreen shortages difficult to automatically restart and frequent applications.

"It was just horrible," said Kim Sang-UK, 27, who bought the Omnia in late 2009 just before starting their first job. "I just wanted to throw it, but could not because I was in a two-year contract. It was the kind of phone where you say" no "even if someone gave it to you free."

president JK Shin admitted that it was a difficult period. The company saw an advantage ? 1000000000000 (£ 559m) in its telecommunications sector in the first quarter of 2010 decreased by half in the next quarter after the Apple iPhone last took the market by storm. "We face a very serious crisis," Shin said later.

However, in the 9th floor of Samsung headquarters in Seoul at the center of the design of mobile phone division, Min-Hyuk Lee, said he felt the heat. President of Samsung Mobile, vice president of design and his team worked on their next smartphone, the Galaxy, and it would really be a worthy adversary for the iPhone.

Galaxy 44m units sold since its launch in June 2010 on its way to Apple's move last year as the best selling smartphone maker in the world. Its success has been developed from the Omnia, said Lee, who at 40 is the youngest executive of the company.

"Without Omnia and Samsung's previous models, there would have been Galaxys. Is there a link between the design of these products," he said in an interview in his office. "They should not be considered piecemeal design. They share our deep deliberation on technology, color and language design. "

Samsung smartphones is emblematic of the strengths of South Korean conglomerate and weaknesses.

Their strategy has always been to be the "executioner fast", the first to market with a product of imitation, when a new opportunity arises. But it is known as an innovator or a company like Apple can literally create a new market with an iconic product.

To become a true innovator, Samsung has to explore the art and science, what it does, say critics.

"Samsung is a great soap manufacturer," said Christian Lindholm, director of design consultancy Fjord service innovation based in Finland. "Its products are clean, lathers well. However, they do not know how to make perfumes, an industry where margins are significantly higher. Perfume is an experience. The scent is designed to seduce, making you feel attractive and right. You love your perfume, but you love the soap. "

design that people can love is an art that requires taking risks and relies more on experience data. "Samsung has to learn to drive more. They analyze all the creativity to death, they lack confidence in themselves," said Lindholm. "Korea has to move to the experience in the industry. I think they have only five years before the new Japan, outmanoeuvered by the Chinese who learn quickly the soap business. "

evolution v creation

Office

Lee and his comments seem to reinforce the image of a society whose culture is more prone to changing big bang creationism.

sanctuary design is much like any other department of Samsung, an expansion of Dilbert-style cubicles and offices with the aphorisms of the founding family framed on the walls: "Being with customers" and " create products that contribute to humanity "and" Challenge the world to create the future. "

The office may lack the exotic art, exercise balls and toys of Silicon Valley creative decoration, but Lee and his team are borrowing some techniques to exploit the initial design muses.

Lee, who acquired the nickname "Midas" for his golden touch to the Galaxy series, traveled to Brazil Iguazu Falls and the ancient city of Cuzco, Peru in search of inspiration . Samsung sent the design team on trips of this kind in the world to keep the fires of your imagination.

images or emotions will be collected on these trips can be "expressed in the design or language of lines and colors," says Lee, who began designing cars not company with Samsung Renault car in the 1990s.

The design process can also be more down to earth, he adds. "Design is only part of your life. Study, do research on future trends and other things you have not experienced before. All this interacts to create a new design. "

If money were the answer to innovation, Samsung and certainly among the best in the world. Samsung has spent 10 billion won in research and development in 2011.

In fact, the annual survey of Bloomberg BusinessWeek the most innovative companies classified Samsung 11 in its list of 50 most innovative companies, despite its local rival LG Electronics dragging in Sony seventh and tenth.

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"I could not be (Ive) level yet, but I think Samsung will produce these emblematic of a day. Not only effort that allows a product to a huge success. It must also be fast, and technology must be prepared to do some design a reality. "