Andrew Kim, a member of Microsoft's design team, has posted up some of the themes that the group had in mind when it designed the look of the recently launched Xbox One S console.
If the name Andrew Kim seems familiar, it's because that while he was a student at the Art Centre College of Design in 2012, he created some impressive concepts for the Windows Phone OS. He also redesigned the logo for Microsoft and many of its brands, along with a Surface Phone concept. He posted those designs to wide Internet acclaim. Microsoft was not dumb; it quickly hired Kim to be part of its design team, and the Xbox One S was his first project.
On his official web site (via The Verge), Kim posted his look behind the scenes of the Xbox One S's design:
After the launch of Xbox One, the design team began investigating a new approach to game console design. For Xbox One S, we wanted to create a more friendly and universal product that doesn't evoke traditional "gaming" cues. We also wanted to simplify the hardware to align with the new Windows 10 design language that was being developed in unison. This simplification started with implementing a unibody construction that reduces the external shell count to just three parts. We also dramatically reduced the size of the device and removed the bulky external power supply. The final design is architectural, logical and easily accessible thanks to its surprisingly low price point.
Kim is still working at Microsoft, but on the HoloLens team. Meanwhile, the 2TB version of the Xbox One is now on sale for $399, with the 500GB and 1TB versions due out next week.
