Samsung appoints former Mercedes-Benz designer as head of design team responsible for Galaxy products

Samsung has brought on board a former Mercedes-Benz designer to head up its mobile design team. Hubert H. Lee, who previously served as the chief design officer of Mercedes-Benz China, will now be leading the South Korean tech giant's design efforts.

Samsung's Mobile eXperience (MX) Design Team, which is responsible for designing the company's high-profile products such as the Galaxy S series phones, has a new leader. On Friday, Samsung announced the appointment of Hubert H. Lee as the head of the MX Design Team.

Prior to this role, Lee was the chief design officer of Mercedes-Benz China, where he led the design teams in China and the United States. In a statement, Samsung noted that Lee's "unique and visionary perspective" will aid in shaping the appearance and user experience of the Galaxy devices, building on the brand's well-known design principles.

It is likely to be at least a year before Lee's influence on Samsung's products becomes noticeable. Prerelease leaks of the company's upcoming Galaxy S series phones suggest that they will closely resemble their Galaxy S22 predecessors. Additionally, it is probable that Samsung has already finalized the design for its 2024 flagship, due to the lengthy development timeline of smartphones.

While it is unlikely that there will be significant changes to the design of phones, as companies in this industry have tended to play it safe for over a decade, Lee may suggest minor yet impactful modifications to Samsung's design approach - much like Evans Hankey did at Apple following Jony Ive's departure.

Source: Samsung, Engadget