Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones are making waves in ocean conservation. The company’s “Coral in Focus” initiative, powered by its Ocean Mode camera feature, has received multiple international awards for helping protect coral reefs around the world.
The initiative won gold in the “Best Sustainability or Conservation Initiative” category at Engage for Good’s 2026 Halo Awards. The accompanying documentary also earned the Coastal and Island Culture Award at the 23rd International Ocean Film Festival. Samsung separately landed on Fast Company’s 2026 Most Innovative Companies list for advancing mobile innovation in environmental research.
This recognition matters because it shows how consumer technology can directly contribute to environmental science. Ocean Mode transforms Galaxy phones into research tools that communities and scientists can use for underwater monitoring, making coral reef conservation more accessible than ever before.
Samsung developed Ocean Mode in partnership with nonprofit organization Seatrees and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. The collaboration combines Galaxy’s advanced camera technology with Seatrees’ restoration expertise and Scripps’ marine science knowledge to create a powerful conservation tool.
The timing is critical. Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor but support about 25% of all marine life and millions of people’s livelihoods worldwide. Without intervention, many reefs could disappear by 2050 due to climate change, pollution, and overfishing.
Ocean Mode addresses this challenge by enabling high-quality underwater photography that researchers use to create detailed 3D models of coral reefs. This technology helps scientists and communities monitor reef health and track recovery progress more effectively than traditional methods.
The initiative operates across restoration sites in Costa Rica, Fiji, the Galápagos Islands, Indonesia, and the United States. Local communities receive Ocean Mode-equipped Galaxy devices and underwater housings to capture imagery that gets converted into 3D photogrammetric models for monitoring and research.
The results speak for themselves. Partners have planted more than 20,000 coral fragments and built over 80 3D reef models to support ongoing monitoring efforts. This data helps researchers understand which restoration techniques work best and track reef recovery over time.
Ocean Mode is now available through Samsung’s Expert RAW app, extending these capabilities to regular Galaxy users. This democratization of underwater imaging technology reduces reliance on expensive DSLR equipment and makes reef monitoring more accessible in resource-limited regions.
The feature represents a broader shift in how smartphone makers approach sustainability. Rather than just reducing environmental impact, companies like Samsung are actively developing features that help solve environmental problems. This approach could inspire other tech companies to think beyond traditional corporate responsibility.
Ocean Mode currently works on Galaxy S26 Series devices, with support expanding to S25 Series, S24 Series, Fold 7, Flip 7, Z Tri-Fold, Fold 6, and Flip 6 throughout the first half of 2026. The feature is part of Samsung’s “Our Journey: Galaxy for the Planet” sustainability initiative, which includes using recycled materials in devices and developing environmentally focused technologies.
The awards highlight how mobile technology can contribute to scientific research and conservation efforts. By making advanced underwater imaging accessible through consumer devices, Samsung is helping scale coral reef monitoring efforts globally while demonstrating the potential for tech innovation to address environmental challenges.