Samsung chairman expresses anger at ‘Apple-inspired’ design of Galaxy Buds 3 and Watch Ultra
Search for reviews of Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3/Buds 3 Pro TWS earbuds and the Galaxy Watch Ultra, both released last month, and you’ll be hard pressed to find one that doesn’t at least mention the unmistakable ‘design inspiration’ from Apple’s equivalent offerings. Well, it seems those similarities have now caught the attention of Samsung Electronics Chairman Jae-yong Lee. According to an insider report coming out of South Korea, Lee has expressed his displeasure with Samsung’s mobile (aka MX) division for the copycat designs and for several quality issues that have been cropping up with the new products.
"Mobile (MX) Division, re-examine management", was apparently the order issued by Lee. The report also claims that tensions are high at the MX division and that (as yet unknown) action has been taken against certain senior management, including MX division head Tae-Moon Roh. Lee’s anger is also noteworthy given his reputation of otherwise being rather mild-mannered.
Reactions from Korean media and many Samsung users at the time of the products’ launch were largely critical, as the new designs were seen as a disappointing departure from the company’s unique, original design choices, and a move more befitting certain Chinese brands.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra’s similarities to the Apple Watch Ultra begin of course with the ‘Ultra’ moniker itself, and continue with the square(-ish) case shape, rugged titanium construction, matched durability specs and practically identical default bands.
With the Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro, the change from Samsung’s original stem-less ‘kidney-bean’ shape is more pronounced, and one that was remarked upon since Samsung, when promoting the Buds 2, had itself mocked the AirPods for their ‘bean-sprout’ shape. The Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro also get the same pinch- and swipe-based controls that debuted on the AirPods Pro.
Not all reviewers have been critical – Marques Brownlee, while pointing out the obvious similarities between the two ‘Ultra’ watches, also opined that many customers ultimately prioritise features, quality and reliability over uniqueness of design.
Unfortunately, design choices are not the company’s only woes: complaints have been emerging of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro’s silicone eartips tearing while being removed, of uneven gaps and poor finish quality. Likewise, users have highlighted issues with the Galaxy Watch Ultra, such as software bugs, unusually short battery life and peeling paint.
Given that Samsung is Apple’s biggest competitor in the mobile devices category, and a beloved brand with a storied history that commands a strong following, the disappointment of the public (specially in South Korea) as well as the top boss’ ire are understandable. For now, it remains to be seen how the company deals with this situation internally, and how that will affect its product lineup going forward.
Source(s)
Aju News via GSMArena
