SAMSUNG CONVOY™
Mobile phone for professionals and tough environments
Brand: SAMSUNG
Launch: 2009
“Built Tough for Work and Life”
Launched in 2009 as a Verizon exclusive, the Samsung Convoy was a rugged flip phone that paired the simplicity of a clamshell design with military-grade durability. Built for workers and active users who needed a tough, reliable device, it featured push-to-talk communication, large tactile keys, and splash/drop protection. Its success led to a full series of four generations for Verizon (2009–2015), cementing the Convoy as one of the most recognized rugged phone lines of its time.
BRIEF
TARGET USER
Created for professionals in demanding work conditions from construction crews and truck drivers to warehouse staff and field technicians—as well as active outdoor users like hikers and bikers. These audiences required a phone they could trust in noisy, dirty, and physically harsh environments where conventional devices were too fragile to perform.
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
With constraints defined by battery and LCD dimensions, the challenge was to create a truly rugged ergonomic flip phone. The design incorporated large, tactile keypad, a dedicated side Push-to-Talk button, and compliance with military-grade standards (MIL-STD-810F), ensuring durability in extreme conditions.
CULTURAL INSIGHT
My responsibility included researching what “rugged” means to American users in the mobile device market. This work focused on understanding which styles, materials, shapes, and details communicate toughness in the U.S. context, and how these cues influence user trust in a device’s durability.
USER RESEARCH INSIGHTS: RUGGED PHONES
This series of research findings was conducted in collaboration with Product Planning and Marketing teams, with sample prototypes built and tested by engineers. The studies captured how different user groups evaluated mobile phones across ranking, damage causes, shape, style, material, and usability factors such as buttons. Insights showed a strong demand for durability, grip, and practical ergonomics—especially in industrial and active environments—directly informing the Samsung Convoy’s rugged design direction.
BRAINSTORMING
A team of four industrial designers collaborated to define what “rugged” means in the U.S. market. Beyond analyzing competitor products, these sessions explored the visual language of ruggedness and identified opportunities to position our design within the competitive landscape.
CMF SPECIFICATION
The Color, Material, and Finish (CMF) specification was developed to guide prototype production and ensure design intent was accurately represented in physical form.
PROTOTYPE REVIEW
Physical prototypes were created based on the CMF specification and presented to Verizon buyers for hands-on evaluation. These models allowed stakeholders to assess durability, ergonomics, and visual direction in person, providing the foundation for key decisions on the next phase of development.
SEAMLESS HINGE INTEGRATION
Compared with many Samsung flip phones from 2006 to 2008, where the hinge was treated as a bolt-on housing for the mechanism, Convoy treats the hinge as part of the overall form. I blended the upper and lower shells into a softly sculpted hinge barrel with continuous transitions, avoiding abrupt breaks or hard edges. The rounded hinge shoulders align with the body contours to create a cohesive silhouette in both the open and closed positions and a smoother in-hand feel when flipping, gripping, and pocketing.
Engineered to meet U.S. Military Standard 810F (MIL-STD-810F) durability requirements. It was tested for shock and vibration resistance, as well as protection against dust and sand. The device endured trials for humidity and salt-fog exposure and was evaluated under both high and low temperature extremes. It also offered water resistance, capable of withstanding rain, splashes, and brief submersion.
LAUNCH & MARKET RECEPTION
The product launched to positive reviews from outlets such as CNET and Phone Arena, highlighting its durability and usability. It became a strong foundation for strengthening the Samsung–Verizon partnership, with both internal teams and Verizon satisfied by the outcome. Solid sales performance and user adoption further validated the design direction and established the Convoy as a reliable choice in the rugged phone category.
MARKET ROLE & IMPACT
When launched in 2009, the Samsung Convoy filled a clear gap in the market for ruggedized, non-smartphone devices, serving industrial users, truck drivers, and outdoor customers who needed reliability over style. Its ergonomic design and large tactile keypad also attracted an elder demographic, who valued ease of grip and simplified usability. The Convoy proved successful enough to extend into four generations (2009–2015), and its steady sales performance helped strengthen the Samsung–Verizon partnership, solidifying Samsung’s presence in the U.S. rugged phone category.
