Samsung introduces '"S bike mode" feature

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.