Samsung, despite being one of the largest and most prolific technology companies globally, has long struggled to establish a distinctive and compelling design identity. While many tech brands have developed unique and instantly recognizable design languages—such as the minimalist and futuristic aesthetic championed by companies like Nothing—Samsung has often been viewed as an “also-ran” in the design arena. This perception has persisted for years, placing Samsung at a disadvantage, especially when competing against design powerhouses like Apple.
Over the past decade, Samsung has made some strides in design, often through collaborations with external creatives. A notable example is the Serif TV, designed by the Bouroullec brothers, which brought a fresh and artistic approach to television aesthetics. Nevertheless, the company has faced ongoing criticism both inside and outside its walls for designs that many deem boring, uninspired, or overly cautious. This design inertia has allowed competitors to close the gap, even as Samsung’s products have remained strong performers on the hardware front.
Indeed, Samsung’s success has largely been driven by performance and functionality rather than personality or style. The company recently reclaimed its position as the global leader in smartphone market share from Apple and has dominated the television market for nearly two decades. However, as the tech industry evolves into 2025 and beyond, Samsung appears ready to shift its focus to better balance form and function, signaling a renewed commitment to design excellence.
A major milestone in this transformation came in April 2024, when Samsung appointed Mauro Porcini as its first-ever Chief Design Officer (CDO). Porcini brings over 20 years of experience leading design teams at companies like 3M and PepsiCo, where he spearheaded Pepsi’s first global rebranding in 14 years. This high-profile hire, although arguably overdue given Samsung’s size and stature, marks a significant step toward integrating design more deeply into Samsung’s strategic vision.
The timing of Porcini’s appointment is telling. Apple created its CDO role for Jony Ive over a decade ago, during a period when reports indicated that Samsung’s innovation was hampered by complex management layers. With those structural barriers now addressed, Samsung is poised to leverage design more effectively, a challenge Porcini readily acknowledges. He emphasizes that the way people interact with technology is on the cusp of radical change, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). For Samsung, having design leadership directly involved in shaping future product portfolios based on evolving human needs is more critical than ever.
While AI provides a timely context for this design push, the roots of Samsung’s design evolution go back several years. Yves Béhar, founder of the design firm Fuseproject and collaborator on Samsung’s The Frame TV, explains that Samsung’s leadership has long sought to transform the company from a pure consumer technology maker into an “experience business.” The Frame TV, which launched in 2017, was a tangible embodiment of this ambition, designed to look more like artwork than a traditional television. Although the product’s picture quality was initially met with mixed reviews, it has since inspired an entire category of lifestyle-driven TVs and become one of Samsung’s best sellers.
However, Béhar notes that Samsung’s delay in establishing an internal design leadership role limited the company’s ability to fully embed design thinking across its operations. Porcini’s appointment is expected to address this gap by making design a core, ongoing priority rather than a peripheral “hobby.” This is especially important as AI reshapes consumer technology, requiring a cohesive and forward-thinking design approach.
One of Porcini’s biggest challenges is the sheer scale and diversity of Samsung’s business. With design teams spread worldwide and a product lineup spanning hundreds or even thousands of items—from smartphones and TVs to refrigerators and robot vacuums—aligning design across such a sprawling portfolio is no small task. Porcini himself stresses that rather than imposing a uniform visual style across all products, Samsung aims to create a consistent “experience language.” This approach focuses on delivering a seamless, personalized user experience across devices, enhanced by AI, rather than forcing identical aesthetics onto fundamentally different categories.
This philosophy resonates with other design experts. Gadi Amit, president of NewDealDesign, points out that while Samsung excels in hardware engineering, it has struggled with software and services integration—areas where Apple’s ecosystem, including iCloud and other services, shines. Amit believes that creating a cohesive hardware-software-services ecosystem is vital for Samsung’s future success and likely a key focus for Porcini.
Yet, despite this