Samsung expands audio lineup with clip-on earbuds and Studio headphones

Samsung is pushing its Galaxy audio brand into two new form factors: the open-ear Galaxy Buds On, which Samsung plans to launch in South Korea on October 27, and an unannounced over-ear model that may be called Galaxy Studio. Swiss retailer listings suggest the buds could arrive in Europe in the first half of December, but Samsung has not confirmed availability outside Korea.

August: public-health clearance and a headphone leak

PCMag reported that the US Food and Drug Administration cleared a hearing aid feature for Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Buds 4 Pro. The tool, developed with the National Acoustic Laboratories and Samsung Medical Center, will begin rolling out in the fourth quarter for adults in the US and other approved markets. It lets users take a hearing test in the Galaxy Buds menu that generates an audiogram and categorizes hearing loss. For mild to moderate loss, the buds can boost quiet sounds like high tones, whispers, and far-off voices. Samsung cautions that the tool does not replace a professional diagnosis.

On August 13, SamMobile reported code strings and icon graphics in Samsung’s Galaxy Wearable app that point to an unannounced full-size headphone. Samsung uses Galaxy H1 as its internal name for the product. Gizmodo and 9to5Google independently confirmed the code on August 14. The graphics show the headphones in white, gray, and black with gray or green ear cushions, and the code confirms Bluetooth connectivity. SamMobile says the headphone resembles Apple’s AirPods Max in the headband and Sony’s WH-1000XM6 in the thicker ear cups.

October: name and launch details

On October 8, Android Authority reported that developer @evowizz believes the over-ear model may be marketed as Galaxy Studio. The same source earlier said Samsung's upcoming earbuds would be called Buds On rather than Buds Able, and Samsung later confirmed that name.

Samsung has confirmed that the Buds On will go on sale in South Korea on October 27 for 299,000 won, about $226. Swiss retailers have listed the earbuds at CHF 179 to CHF 199, and SammyGuru reports those listings indicate a European release in the first half of December. Animations shared by The Cipher Project show a case with rounded corners and a smoky, translucent lid, plus earbuds with curved bands that hook over the ear.

What to expect from Galaxy Studio

Samsung has not commented on the over-ear headphones, and no pricing or specifications have been confirmed. SamMobile projects a debut in early 2027, possibly alongside a Galaxy Unpacked event, while 9to5Google cautions that the timeline is anyone’s guess. Expected features from the code and Samsung’s trajectory include Bluetooth 6.0 or later, adaptive noise cancellation with an ambient mode, Galaxy AI integration, Auto Switch between paired Galaxy devices, and longer battery life than earbuds. The standout is Samsung’s SSC UHQ audio codec. It can carry hi-res audio at 24-bit/96kHz with a theoretical peak bitrate of roughly 2.3 Mbit/s, according to third-party analysis cited by Tech Times. The codec is proprietary, so it requires a Samsung Galaxy phone running One UI 6.1.1 or later. On a non-Samsung phone, the headphones would fall back to standard Bluetooth codecs and lose Galaxy-specific features.

Together, the Galaxy Buds On, the hearing aid feature, and the in-development Galaxy Studio show Samsung investing in Galaxy audio as both a health tool and a premium ecosystem play.