[Design Story] Bringing Self-Expression to Life With the Galaxy Watch4 Series

Today’s lifestyle choices, as diverse as they all are, have one thing in common: self-expression. From what we wear to the life we live – even to the devices we buy – putting our personality first and foremost is always of utmost importance.

Following the changes in such trends, smartwatches have grown to be part of this self-expression movement thanks to their nature as a device that goes beyond its role as a mere accessory. Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Watch4 series is no exception to this. Its perfectly rounded shape continues the unique identity of the Galaxy Watch series, and the broad selection of straps available caters to all kinds of personalities and preferences. With a clear identity as well as offering unique self-expression, Galaxy Watch4 has truly been designed for the modern user.

“We used the perfect shape of a circle as our core concept in order to capture the originality of the Galaxy Watch and preserve its identity as a watch.” (Insik Chung, Galaxy Watch4 Designer)

One Core Element

The circle is the founding identity of the Samsung Galaxy Watch. A simple yet polished form resembling most traditional watches, the circle is a core design element that has been incorporated into the Galaxy Watch series from the very beginning.

Samsung’s designers worked hard to create this user-friendly structure with all the basic watch-like qualities that avoids anything complicated or distracting in order to develop a truly differentiated product. By removing any unnecessary decorative elements and focusing on the true essence of the device, the Galaxy Watch series designers managed to create a watch design that is not only timeless, but is also the perfect addition to any user’s wrist.

A Singular Identity

The Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic both share a single design language and therefore a consistent identity. Based on the essence of the circle, a seamless line from the screen to the body frame and to the strap has been applied to both models based on the concept of the circle, and instead of pursuing differentiated design ideas such as ‘minimalistic’ or ‘classic’ as before, Samsung’s designers truly honed in on the concept of the circle to create a design that is bolder and more unique. Thanks to a refined form that truly captures the essence of the Galaxy Watch, both Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic are united with one singular design identity.

“The way the body frame sits around the screen makes on-screen information more noticeable, and the smartwatch’s seamless strap provides a comfortable fit.” (Juan Lee, Designer, Kenzi Yamauchi, Designer)

Seamless Aesthetic, Seamless Fit

The Galaxy Watch4’s strap connects seamlessly and effortlessly to the watch body. Samsung’s designers created a silhouette that serves as an outline for the circular frame in order to emphasize the screen better. The body line design is not only crucial for aesthetic appeal, but also for providing optimal fit for users. The designers carried out countless mock-up trials in order to create the slimmest and most flexible line design possible that also offers users a natural and snug fit on their wrists.

Meticulous Design

A smartwatch can help a user track their movement and other health-related information as it is so closely placed in contact with its user’s body. Samsung’s designers focused on his ‘monitoring’ aspect of the smartwatch and considered several ways to improve the watch’s fit and stability for this purpose. The result of this development process is the H-Wing strap. The Galaxy Watch4 series’ H-Wing strap connects with the screen and ensures that the sensors underneath the watch are attached firmly to the user’s wrist. This security provides a stable, ergonomic fit with greater accuracy for tasks such as measuring the user’s heart rate or ECG.

Effective Materials

Samsung’s designers made sure to produce a strap for the Galaxy Watch4 series that is able to meet a user’s expectation in terms of aesthetic as well as functionality. The resulting Hybrid Leather Band was designed meticulously with both these standards in mind: its exterior is made of leather, while the interior of the strap is made with sweat-resistant Fluoroelastomer (FKM). While the exterior and the interior sides of the strap are made from different materials, they come together seamlessly thanks to a unified color scheme.

“The strap’s material and colors reflect the characteristics of users who desire change.” (Jungsang Park, Designer, Sangsoo Lee, Designer)

Diverse Choices

Color is a design element that allows for self-expression while also bringing a product to life. Samsung’s designers made sure to develop a variety of strap colors based on the latest global trends so that users can complete their look in style.

The body frame of Galaxy Watch4 comes in black, green, silver and pink gold, while Galaxy Watch4 Classic comes in the classic shades of black and silver. The extensive strap selection for the series comes in a variety of colors that complement both the watch bodies and their function, including the Sport Band, Ridge Sport Band, Extreme Sport Band, Hybrid Leather Band and the Milanese Band. These straps can be purchased separately so that users can pick and choose their straps as they see fit.

Your Style, Your Way

A smartwatch is the perfect way to showcase your own personal style and aesthetic, a subtle yet powerful means of self-expression given that it is a device that goes everywhere with its user. Galaxy Watch4 users can select and combine the body and strap components as they wish in order to build their own, unique smartwatch, and in order to cater to diverse needs, a variety of options with over 1,000 potential combinations¹ is available. The Galaxy Watch4 series has been designed to lets users fully express themselves in the same way they might with their smartphone’s case.

A Gift for Oneself

The basic concept of respecting every user’s individuality is incorporated into every aspect of the user’s Galaxy Watch4 experience – right from when they first purchase it. Instead of having a predetermined combination of frame or strap, users can choose and combine the different body frame colors and strap types through the Galaxy Watch Design Studio when purchasing online. Beyond just a smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch4 truly is a gift to oneself that reflects our true values.

A truly great design maintains its value for long periods of time and delivers better experiences to users by reflecting the zeitgeist and preferences of the users that is designed for. In creating the design for the Galaxy Watch4 series, Samsung’s designers focused just on the essence of the product and instilled it with those values of self-expression that are so important to today’s users. The Galaxy Watch4 embraces individuality, enabling it to become a beloved companion in a user’s daily life to both help them and accompany them wherever they may go.

* The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may differ from the actual products. Product specifications may vary by country, region, and model.

¹ The number of combinations available may vary depending on the country or region in which the Galaxy Watch Design Studio is available.

Source: Samsung Mobile Blog
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