Kia Motors, 3 telecom firms, Naver win Red Dot Design Awards

Kia Motors, 3 telecom firms, Naver win Red Dot Design Awards. August. 11, 2015 07:17. yhkang@donga.com.

Korean companies received en masse "2015 Red Dot Design Awards," one of the world’s top three design prizes. At this year’s Red Dot Design Award, 7,451 submissions from 53 countries competed for the award. The world’s top three design awards are Red Dot Design, IF Design, and IDEA Design awards.

Kia Motors said on Monday that its English mobile application for its "All New Sorento" SUV and "Soul EV" for iPad received the second prize in the mobile app category of the communication design segment. The application earned positive responses through contents that enable users to change the color of the vehicle and experience interior rooms and convenience options, and generate 3-D visual images that utilize actual design data.

Korea’s top three mobile carriers also acquired prizes. SK Telecom received the grand prize in the design concept category with "Boxshool," a smart learning solution that it had developed with industrial design department of KAIST.

KT acquired the grand prize with umbrella "Phone-brella" in the smart and fashion categories. Phone-brella is designed to allow users insert an arm into the handle of the umbrella, enabling people to use their mobile phone with both hands even when carrying the umbrella.

LG U Plus received the second prize in the communication app category with four different services, namely its shopping platform "Visible Shopping," mobile secretary service "U Spoon," and "U-Plus Camera." The platforms allow users to edit photos and videos, and "Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio," which people can use their smartphones like a two-way radio.

Naver, Korea`s top Internet portal operator, received the grand prize in the corporate social responsibility category with its subway map, which is designed for color-blind people. The map is designed to enable users to easily read map information through adjustment of color tones, insertion of outlines, and information on transfer stations.