Samsung’s Coral Reef Efforts Earn Recognition Thanks to Ocean Mode

Samsung’s Ocean Mode camera feature on select Galaxy devices captures high-quality underwater images, helping restore coral reefs. The company recently announced that its Ocean Mode-powered “Coral in Focus” initiative has earned several awards. This shows the firm’s strong contribution to coral reef conservation.

Ocean Mode helps researchers capture detailed underwater data

Samsung’s “Coral in Focus” initiative received Gold in the “Best Sustainability or Conservation Initiative” category at Engage for Good’s 2026 Halo Awards. A documentary linked to the initiative also won the Coastal and Island Culture Award at the 23rd International Ocean Film Festival. Meanwhile, Fast Company’s 2026 Most Innovative Companies list also features the firm for advancing mobile innovation in environmental research.

Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, but they support around 25% of all marine life. However, coral reefs are under serious threat because of climate change, pollution, and overfishing. The “Coral in Focus” initiative aims to reverse the decline of coral reefs. As such, Samsung teamed up with the U.S.-based nonprofit organization Seatrees and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego.

The project operates in locations such as Costa Rica, Fiji, Indonesia, the Galápagos Islands, and the United States. In these areas, participants use Ocean Mode on Galaxy devices with waterproof housings to capture high-quality underwater images. This allows scientists to create detailed 3D photogrammetric models of coral reefs.

“By bringing together Galaxy’s advanced image capturing capabilities, Seatrees’ community-driven restoration model and Scripps’ knowledge on marine science, Samsung is transforming Galaxy mobile phones into powerful tools for ocean conservation,” said the company. So far, these efforts have helped plant more than 20,000 coral fragments and create over 80 3D reef models.

Samsung recently backed Ocean Mode in Expert RAW, so more people can take advantage of underwater imaging. The feature supports not only the latest Galaxy S26 series but also several premium models, such as the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Z Fold 7.