PAPER ARTIST IS A CAMERA APPLICATION THAT INSTANTLY TRANSFORMS ANY PHOTO INTO ARTWORK, USING REAL-TIME CAMERA FILTER.
At Samsung mobile, I was tasked with scouting new technology and solution providers to help Samsung Mobile differentiate. Paper Artist was a product of my own concept, collaboration with a partner, internal promotion and the project management, that found its way into 100 million Samsung devices and later into Google Play, Apple Appstore.
4.5/5 - Google Play
Paper Artist, previously exclusively preloaded on Samsung devices, is open to all of us at Google Play store. - Android Police
Market reactions
Reviewed on Google Play 4.5/5 (Google Play link)
"Paper Artist,previously exclusively preloaded on Samsung devices, but now it's open to all of us in the Play Store." - Android Police-
"Samsung releases Paper Artist for Windows"- Windowscentral.com
"...Special mention must be made of one of the greatest camera apps I have had the pleasure to try: Paper Artist works as a camera but then allows you to instantly add wonderful colour tweaks to your images with a swipe of the camera.
This has been done many times in many apps for both Android and Apple over the years, but the interface, and the beautiful images you can make in seconds is the best implementation I have ever seen.
I believe this is a Note 2 exclusive app, which is a shame as it deserves to be on every camera phone." -Daily Mail-
A PROJECT DEEP DIVE
Looking for what every camera phone doesn’t have
At Samsung mobile, I was tasked with scouting new technology and solution providers to help Samsung Mobile differentiate. Early 2012 all smartphone manufacturers were competing for higher resolution, to bring DSLR-like features for the cameras on the phone. For everyday use, the phone camera was already more than good enough.
I felt it's not about pixel competition or sharper image anymore. While people are equipped with semi-professional cameras in their phone, they were not necessarily empowered to create something they could be proud of. Higher resolution doesn't necessarily translate into an image they would cherish for longer period of time.
I wanted Samsung to offer the public a camera feature that is not about producing higher resolution image, but about something they feel personally attached to.
(Note: this was before Instagram has gained critical mass as well, which originated from similar vision but with a social feature)
I've looked around and met with JFDP Labs, who had an instant image filtering algorithm. JFDP Labs was a UK start up that was originally by 2 engineers from Electronic Arts back then.
It’s just a gimmick…or is it not?
When I promoted within the organisation I received cold reactions ('that's just a gimmick') from my counterparts in Korean Headquarters. But I circulated the APK as many people as possible within Samsung, even all the colleagues I met at Mobile World Congress Barcelona. Then people realised they loved using it, and a critical mass was reached within the organisation that everyone shared the same vision, all the way to then CTO DJ Koh & CEO JK Shin. I was getting calls & emails from colleagues trying to find out when the commercial deal will be completed with JFDP Labs, from all different Samsung offices around the world. It was amazing to see, how a huge organisation, once shared the vision, could all move in one direction, and so fast.
App user interface : I would have totally done it differently, if it was now.
In Mexican Classroom with Samsung Smart School Community Initiative, 2013
Device preloads
Paper Artist was a runway success & preloaded onto more than 10 Samsung devices that followed Note 2 and altogether, 100 million Samsung mobile devices, including Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Camera and tablets, showing off Samsung's strengths in camera display and more importantly, S pen technology.
I saw this bus stop ad on the way during that summer coming back from a meeting in London back to the office. That was the first time I've seen my own product advertised on a massive scale. Samsung adverts with Paper Artist were all over London that Christmas, but the memory of seeing your own work in a commercial space for the first time never goes away.
Bus Stop Branding in London, winter 2012
Heathrow airport, winter 2012
Why Paper Artist was (& is ) meaningful to Samsung?
Paper Artist enjoyed an unprecedented (and arguably, not repeated by any other Samsung app preloaded. See App reviews on Google Play) success for a Samsung preload application. It was a learning experience for engineers and executives at Samsung mobile's R&D, that a technology makes a greater success, if combined with a unique and attractive software that truly understands the user.
Paper Artist is still remembered by many people within Samsung with such positive, long-lasting feedback from the consumers. After the exclusivity deal has expired, Paper Artist eventually has been open on Google Play by JFDP Labs, for anybody to download & use. You can still read, even today, on Google Play review, that the users mention as the reason for purchase that they remembered Paper Artist from old Samsung devices.
Personal reflections
I would like to interpret this as the power of human-centered design. With the deeper understanding of what the user needs, Samsung's camera & S Pen could provide more than just a powerful technology.
If what I do would touch upon the lives of hundreds of million people, I shouldn't just be doing it because I think it might be fun for me, or new to the market, or just because it will make money. I should be doing it not only making sure it would not negatively effect their lifestyle (think of many of the addition smartphones today) but because this would truly touch the lives of the users in a meaningful way. This has been my key take away.