[Tushar]

Samsung India Electronics has announced the launch of the Samsung Galaxy J3 smartphone that comes equipped with an "S bike mode" feature. This is a dedicated feature for two-wheeler riders which works as an automated answering machine, while the rider is on his/her two-wheeler.

Once activated at the beginning of a ride, any caller trying to reach the Samsung Galaxy J3 user will be notified through an automated answering machine that the user is riding and cannot take calls so that the ride remains uninterrupted.

All the user needs to do is switch on the S bike mode on the phone before setting off on the ride, and the smart phone will automatically inform the caller that the user is currently riding a bike and is unable to take the call. The caller may choose to press 1 to express urgency to talk with the biker, but to take the call, the rider will have to pull over and come to a stop. The S bike mode will be available across all 4G-enabled Galaxy J series devices over a period of time.

How the S bike mode works:

Step 1 – Activation: The Galaxy J3 has in-built NFC hardware and the device ships with an S bike mode NFC Tag. This tag can be affixed at a convenient place (e.g. helmet or a fuel tank) and the user can tap the device on this tag to activate/deactivate the S bike mode. The user also has the option to use the quick panel to activate/deactivate this feature.

Step 2 – Urgent call alert system: All callers hear a pre-recorded message that informs them that the user is riding a two-wheeler and is unable to take the call. The S bike mode user does not get any notification that there was an incoming call (to avoid distraction). In case the call is urgent, the caller may choose to press 1, which allows urgent calls to go through.

Step 3 – Motion lock: This feature ensures that if the S bike mode user decides to take the urgent incoming call, he/she will need to bring the bike to a halt to answer the call. The phone will not allow the incoming call to get answered owing to the motion lock.

Through the S bike mode user interface, users can see a log of call notifications while the mode is enabled. It also has a 'Smart Reply' feature where selected contacts will receive an auto-SMS with an estimate of when the user is likely to be available for a call, based on a trip destination entered by the user. There is also a dashboard that stores the time and distance travelled using the S bike mode, where users stand a chance to win up to Rs. 1,500 per month from Freecharge for using the safety feature.

[anshumandun]

Now this is good use of technology. Samsung just needs to ensure that this feature is made available in phones south of 10k since there will be a lot of 2 wheeler riders who will not be having high end feature packed phones.

I am definitely going to use this feature extensively. It's frustrating sometimes to stop the bike when the phone rings just to find out that it is a spam call. Kudos to Samsung for bringing this feature!

[umeshd]

I wonder if they will make this "S Bike" mode available on other phones since it will undermine sales of this phone itself.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by Tushar

Step 2 – Urgent call alert system: All callers hear a pre-recorded message that informs them that the user is riding a two-wheeler and is unable to take the call. The S bike mode user does not get any notification that there was an incoming call (to avoid distraction). In case the call is urgent, the caller may choose to press 1, which allows urgent calls to go through.

Man!!

I've wanted a feature like this on phone for so long!

Imagine how useful it would be when you're asleep. It's the safer way to put your phone on silent / DND.


That aside, cool offering from Samsung. The NFC tap-to-activate is a big plus, as even the effort required to tap the screen a few times can be enough to dissuade people from using this feature (everyone is inherently lazy).

[mukul32]

Originally Posted by Tushar

Samsung India Electronics has announced the launch of the Samsung Galaxy J3 smartphone that comes equipped with an "S bike mode" feature. This is a dedicated feature for two-wheeler riders which works as an automated answering machine, while the rider is on his/her two-wheeler.

That's a rather nice idea by Samsung. But ultimately, Samsung need to take it easy and stay honest to the fact that this is just an app that's working on the omnipresent NFC chip inside our phones (OnePlus 2 users may turn their heads elsewhere ), and not act like it were some groundbreaking revolution in the world of smartphones that no other phone can possess, and overblow it in marketing campaigns. Unfortunately, I can foresee them doing just that.

Also, apart from that one feature, the rest of the device that they have launched it on looks like just another run-of-the-mill Samsung budget phone. So for many, the rest of the phone may not even be worth going for if they have a better phone currently. And there is a good reason to think that they may not sell that NFC tag loose either. At least not immediately.

Anyway, it's just a start. Once Samsung has brought in some feature, if it catches up well, it would be very safe to expect that the likes of LG, Chinese phone makers, and perhaps some of the Indian ones too would get 'inspired' from it and we would see a greater variety of phones supporting similar modes. Also expect third party Play Store alternatives (if there aren't any already) with perhaps lesser functionality and less deep integration, but far better accessibility.

Through the S bike mode user interface, users can see a log of call notifications while the mode is enabled. It also has a 'Smart Reply' feature where selected contacts will receive an auto-SMS with an estimate of when the user is likely to be available for a call, based on a trip destination entered by the user.

This is Samsung being smart. +1.

There is also a dashboard that stores the time and distance travelled using the S bike mode, where users stand a chance to win up to Rs. 1,500 per month from Freecharge for using the safety feature.

Now this is Samsung being Samsung. And I was thinking they could have third party bloat only in Touchwiz...

Originally Posted by Rehaan

The NFC tap-to-activate is a big plus, as even the effort required to tap the screen a few times can be enough to dissuade people from using this feature (everyone is inherently lazy).

Agreed. They have done their homework well with it, it seems. Well integrated and designed. Not added yet another app just for the sake of it. Now only hoping it doesn't lag!

Imagine how useful it would be when you're asleep. It's the safer way to put your phone on silent / DND.

That way, people would start wondering where you go off riding your bike everyday through the whole night!
Still, we BHPians won't mind that, would we?

[GeeTee TSI]

Great feature to counter that irresistible urge to glance at the screen once the inevitable 'ping' is heard. Even if one resists that urge, the mind is already distracted and the only way is to keep the driver blissfully unaware of it.
Some organisations make it mandatory for company drivers to switch off (meaning off) mobile phones whilst on duty, this will let the caller know, phone's not dead but the guy is doing something very serious!
Wonder if motion lock would work in a car

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Tushar

All the user needs to do is switch on the S bike mode on the phone before setting off on the ride, and the smart phone will automatically inform the caller that the user is currently riding a bike and is unable to take the call. The caller may choose to press 1 to express urgency to talk with the biker, but to take the call, the rider will have to pull over and come to a stop.

Excellent !

This S bike mode can be extended to cars too. Unless connected via Bluetooth, it should pose the same restrictions. A distracted biker will mostly cause harm to himself. A distracted driver can seriously / fatally harm others!

[r.K]

Great feature by Samsung. The rider needn't pull over every time when the phone rings, thinking it to be an important call.

Originally Posted by Tushar

The S bike mode user does not get any notification that there was an incoming call (to avoid distraction). In case the call is urgent, the caller may choose to press 1, which allows urgent calls to go through.

On second thoughts, persistent callers advertising personal loans/credit cards, will just go ahead and press 1 and the call will come through. This would ultimately negate the intent of the feature. S bike mode should take into account blocked numbers and prevent those calls even if the caller presses 1. Or it should have a block list of its own.

[naut]

The solution is indeed smart!

Most of the features can be implemented locally on the receiver's phone except the below..

Originally Posted by Tushar

Step 2 – Urgent call alert system: All callers hear a pre-recorded message that informs them that the user is riding a two-wheeler and is unable to take the call. The S bike mode user does not get any notification that there was an incoming call (to avoid distraction). In case the call is urgent, the caller may choose to press 1, which allows urgent calls to go through.

Curious to know, how the above works? Won't it need some support from the carrier/telco? Does the other end (i.e. caller) need to be calling via a Samsung smart phone only or any dumb phone also will do? What if the caller is calling from a landline? or if it is a VOIP call (whatsapp/skype)?

On second thoughts, will the call get received by the recepient's phone and an IVR type of message be played to the caller to select 1 (like call center IVRs)? That way there wouldn't be any dependency on the carrier/telco, just that, all calls will be received by the recipient's phone even without the recipient knowing.

Also, what about all the notifications that come from the innumerable apps? Do they get suppressed as well?

[nishsingh]

For those interested, here is the really cool ad. for this cool feature.
(Disclaimer: I don't work for Samsung, but I do own a more expensive Samsung phone which doesn't have this feature )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MSyjNN0g40

[umeshd]

** Mods, don't know if this post went thru first time hence posting again. Delete if my first post has gone thru. **

Just out of curiosity about the S-Bike mode, I checked the Samsung support site for product manual for this. Surprisingly, the S-Bike mode is not even mentioned in the user manual.

Here's the support site link
http://www.samsung.com/in/support/model/SM-J320FZDDINS

And this is the user manual
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/co...1.0_160307.pdf

So I guess they will have some information included with the phone itself or a user guide with details about S-Bike mode will be released later.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by GTO

Excellent !

This S bike mode can be extended to cars too. Unless connected via Bluetooth, it should pose the same restrictions. A distracted biker will mostly cause harm to himself. A distracted driver can seriously / fatally harm others!

Technically, Bluetooth is illegal according the the Maharastra Police who informed me that I need to be stationary and the car's engine needs to be off otherwise I am liable to be fined if seen talking on the phone (and I was in my EcoSport while driving on the western expressway using the car's bluetooth system).

[daverm]

Originally Posted by umeshd

I wonder if they will make this "S Bike" mode available on other phones since it will undermine sales of this phone itself.

I was thinking the same. Hope someone develops a an alternative for iOS.

Also additionally I was thinking why not make use of the accelerometer and go one step further to send a SOS message if biker is Down.

I know of BMW K1600 GTL having this feature in association with BMW services where if a bike is down (on its side) it would use the Bluetooth connected smart phone to send location details via sms to emergency services.