Desire EYE

Design Story Series for HTC Blog

It’s time again for Design Story–your peek behind the scenes with HTC’s Design teams. Today, we’ll talk with Principal Industrial Designer, Catherine Kim.

So, the phone is called “Desire EYE.” Was it always called that, or how did the name come about?

Catherine Kim: Peter Chou recommended the name and we thought it resonated well with the design form factor. I’m pretty sure that EYE is the first use of the centered camera for our Desire line. It’s become very iconic.

What was the concept behind it?

Catherine: Desire EYE is a higher-end phone in the Desire line.

The concept was actually based around video conference calls, so it’s about more than just taking great still photos. Apps like Skype or Hangouts rely on the front camera, so we gave it a front facing 13-megapixel wide-angle lens with dual LED flash. Combining these elements makes sure that you look your best and can fit a group in the frame during video chats.

As for the form factor, Desire phones have to be friendly. The housing for EYE uses the same double shot molding process as Desire 820 to get a color block effect. It’s been a strong trend this year, and isn’t going away for Fall 2015.

If you look at this phone from any direction or angle, you’ll see all kinds of color shifts. That gives a lot of dimension to it as an object. We’ve gotten positive feedback on the color schemes from our customers. They really like how the colors pop.

What were some of the challenges on this project?

Catherine: One of the highlights for Desire EYE is that it’s waterproof. It’s rated IPX7, so you can put it underwater for 30 minutes without causing damage to the device.

That was one of the big challenges that we had to go through. You have to add gaskets and seals to make the device waterproof, and that can force larger dimensions. It’s already one of our bigger devices with a 5.2’’ screen, so thankfully we were able to maintain the size we wanted while still achieving our goal.

What was the impetus behind making it waterproof?

Catherine: If you look at the users of our Desire phones, they’re very diverse and adventurous. You might find them on the beach, at a bar or exploring outdoors. They like to have fun and break the mold, so they want a phone that’s waterproof.

Let’s talk about your background now. Have you always wanted to be a designer?

Catherine: Yeah. I started in fine art. I really love drawing and making things and when I was in college I took an industrial design class and just fell in love. I never looked back. Now, I have my masters in ID/UX integration, so that has helped me think beyond just the ID side.

What did your coursework look like?

Catherine: I think the first thing your learn is to think in space–think in 3D. I think that’s the most basic thing. As you progress, you have to understand the users. Then, it’s about the environment where the products are going to be used. Design is a lifestyle, not an art. It has a purpose and involves problem solving.

Yeah, it’s kind of forward thinking. And, you said you have your Masters, where did you study?

Catherine: University of Cincinnati–the school had an awesome program, which I really liked.

What do you like doing in your free time?

Catherine: I like running–I actually combine running and traveling together. When I find a country I want to go to, I find out when there’s marathon race is being held there. So I run the race, then I travel around that country.

What’s the last marathon you completed?

Catherine: I did Iceland in October last year. It’s a completely different world there. The landscape is so different. The houses are so different.

And have you picked out your next adventure yet?

Catherine: I have a couple of places I want to race. I’ve done a couple races in Asia and a lot in the U.S. I want to explore more of Europe next.

Do you ever stop and take a picture, like, in the middle of a race?

Catherine: Hmm… not really. When I’m running, I’m trying to beat my personal records. But now that I have RE, it’s much easier to take a camera with me. So I’m thinking the next marathon maybe I’ll take a time lapse.

Well thank you for giving us some perspective on the design behind Desire EYE. It’s been an awesome conversation, and I’m sure everyone is looking forward to hearing about what’s next from you and your team.

Credits

Byline: Zachary Adams
Series Concept: Susan Burgess