Reaching for
Completeness
Samsung W2018 Design Story
Defining the state of completeness in design is
difficult. You cannot simply define completion by
measuring the fullness or emptiness of elements in
a certain design. However, anyone would come to a
reasonable realization and agreement on the notion
of completion that is brought through ‘balance and
harmony’. When design elements come together to
maintain a fine balance, completeness shines into
existence. Samsung Electronics discovered
complete balance over the past ten years of
advancement in China’s premium folder phone
models. Now you can witness the story of the folder
phone objet, W2018.
Excellence in Every Way
十全十美 A State of Perfection
‘A state of completion and beauty, without flaws.’
This Chinese proverb that derives its meaning from
the number ten (十), which is the symbolic
expression of reaching zenith, is the design concept
of the W2018. The concept expresses a state of
balance that is formed by boldly fusing contrasting
elements into a single body and a continuous
pursuit of harmony that expels banality. The W2018
exudes an aura of completeness born from ‘balance
and harmony’ that has been in the works for the
past ten years since the first release of Samsung’s
premium folder phone in China.
Premium Design with Youthful Sensibility
The W2018 has been designed for China’s upper-
class users who desire their own objet. However,
we didn’t want this to be an ostentatious design,
but rather, a portrayal of the lifestyle of owning a
unique and personal design item. With this motive
in mind, the premium design elements of the W2018
have been fully materialized in its consistently
classy theme, clear-cut icons, and dials with the
sensitivity of a high-end watch, and more.
Delicacy in Stillness
寂靜妙窮 A Silent Exploration of Wondrous Value
‘An exploration of wondrous value in the midst
of silence.’ This is the meaning of the Chinese
proverb ‘寂靜妙窮’. This saying, commonly used in
Buddhist practices, describes the product design
characteristics of the W2018. The W2018’s overall
body is a product of the congenial mix between the
grand, magnanimous style of the northern region
and the mystical, elegant style of the southern
region. The fine details of the product’s peaceful
and composed body will remind you of the
meticulous form of a high-end luxurious watch,
and through its details, you can see the values of a
master craftsman hard at work. The W2018, from
its body to finish, is completely faithful to this
concept of maintaining ‘delicacy in stillness.’
Details Make Perfection
The sensitive details that go into grandeur form
elevate a product into perfection. The exquisite
nature of the W2018’s high-end brand has been
designed with inspiration from the details of
premium accessories such as fountain pens and
high-quality lighters. We switched the previous
circular hinge to a geared hinge to tone down its
image as an electronic device and strengthen its
look as a crisp fashion accessory. This little detail
makes it possible to completely hide the hinges
when you open the phone, which creates a sense
of oneness that sets the W2018 apart from other
folder phone products.
Complete Blend
精製, 調和, 美麗 Refinement, Harmony, Beauty
A product’s color and texture can become unique
attributes of a user, and are major elements that
grant completeness to a product. The W2018’s CMF
has three central themes that are aligned with the
overall concept of ‘十全十美’ (A State of Perfection).
With the blend of refinement, harmony, and beauty,
the W2018 emits a premium glow that matures in
radiance the more you carry it. Its refined metal and
glass material give the product a sturdy and dense
look, and the colorful mixture of black, gold, and
silver establishes a vibrant yet composed sensibility
to the product.
Uniqueness of Colors
The color gold has been the representative color of
premium quality in China for a long time. The
W2018’s gold has been reborn in a stylish blend with
black to naturally permeate into the lifestyles of
users with youthful taste. The W2018 Special
Version is in a platinum shade that embodies the
adamant stability of the platinum material. The
elegance that is created from the union of black and
platinum reminds users of a brilliant gem that
never loses its shine, and appeals to both younger
users and female users. With these colors, we paved
the path for a wider audience for the premium
folder phone.
A Piece of Art
The W2018’s hairline flows from the front of the
device down to the sides and posterior with smooth
fluidity, and flawlessly meets with the indented
groove of the device to enhance the product’s
overall premium quality. To make the W2018’s high
quality design characteristic a reality, we have
applied a remarkable CMF process that was
previously unheard of in the industry. This cutting
edge processing requires precise machine work and
is the most advanced technology among the
different types of processing that goes into a
phone’s metal body. In each of the complicated
processes involved, from CNC processing*, buffing*,
sanding*, hairline work*, diamond cutting*, to
anodizing*, the mind and spirit of a master craftsman
is at work to create a timeless piece of art.
- CNC Processing : Computer numerical control processing
- Buffing : A finishing process that polishes metallic surfaces
using abrasives - Sanding : A process of removing chips and scratches on the
surface to smooth it out - Hairline Work : The process of creating a hairline on metallic
surfaces - Diamond Cutting : The process of chipping away the surface
of metal using a diamond cut processing device to create
shimmering facets - Anodizing : A process of purposely corroding metallic
surfaces to create a color layer
The Glimmer of On-Screen Compositions
The W2018 stays true to the concept of ‘十全十美’
(A State of Perfection) even on-screen. The screen
pursues modern sentiments of luxury and
refinement, at the same time capturing China’s local
values in the form of GUI design that utilities
symbols and patterns of China’s minority group, the
Miao people, and the Nine Tripod Cauldrons (九鼎)*.
These efforts imbue rich heritage and premium
quality to users’ lives as they interact with the GUI
design.
The Nine Tripod Cauldrons (九鼎) were ancient cauldrons
made of gold that were commissioned by Yu the Great of the
Xia Dynasty.
As a Luxury Watch
The W2018 is essentially a spectacular luxury watch.
We created an unprecedented GUI design that
actualizes the fine detail of a real watch on the
cover LCD. The W2018's cover LCD comes in two
types, digital and analog. The digital type showcases
an intuitive design that incorporates a smooth and
elegant interaction with the user, and the analog
design features an overlay of the moon on the dials
of the watch, known as the Moon phase, and the
Tourbillon, which is a device used to adjust the time
normally seen on luxury watches. These two cover
LCDs present users with the visual sensation of
using a classic luxury watch.
A Single Experience that Stems from the Watch
We unified the entire experience of the phone in a
single watch, progressing from the cover LCD, then
the Lock Screen, and finally to the Home Screen.
We enlarged the watch pattern shown from the
cover LCD’s analog type and applied it to the Lock
Screen, and also implemented the magnified watch
hands to the Home Screen. The W2018’s Wallpaper
and Icon sustain a consistent look, feel, and
sensibility of a luxury brand to fully adhere to the
overarching concept of ‘十全十美’ (A State of
Perfection).
A Gift in Itself
The W2018 longs for perfection even in its package
design. The platinum color of the package goes
hand in hand with a black leather pouch to further
elevate the luxurious quality of the product. In
addition, to commemorate the Ten Year Anniversary
of the folder phone, we’ve included genuine brown
leather and a red-colored sleeve to cater to local
tastes in China and establish an ambience of
prestige in the design.
The package has been designed with matte black
paper and an acrylic shine on the top portion of the
inner box to show contrast with the product’s gold
color. This composition of colors expresses
contrasting variation and a sense of unity all at once,
expressing a composed yet stylish sensibility.
The W2018’s design is the perfect manifestation of
harmony and balance discovered over the course
of ten years’ worth of experience and hard work.
ten (10) represents both fruition and initiation, the
W2018 also seeks to become a brilliant gift to users
that brings both the satisfaction of completion and
the excitement of encountering new meanings in life.
