SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics’ latest Galaxy earbuds perched comfortably around the ears instead of plugging into them. A few jumps and jogging motions later, they were still there, intact with lighter feel.
That was the main takeaway from trying the Galaxy Buds On at Samsung’s media briefing in central Seoul on Tuesday.
They felt loose enough to raise doubts about their grip, but soon became so unobtrusive that it was easy to forget you had them on.
For people who wear earbuds almost as an extension of their bodies, the difference is immediately noticeable.
There is no tip nestled inside the ear canal. Instead, the buds clasp the outer ear, leaving the canal open to the world beyond the music.
Samsung is pitching that balance to listeners who want a soundtrack to their day while keeping an ear on conversations and their surroundings.
Unveiled on Oct. 1, the Galaxy Buds On will go on sale in South Korea on Oct. 27 for 299,000 won. The only color is black.
During the hands-on session, the familiar snugness of in-ear buds gave way to a lighter, less enclosed sensation. The fit suggested freedom to move; the jumping and jogging showed that freedom did not necessarily come at the expense of stability.
The buds held their position without the wedged-in feeling of conventional earbuds. That was encouraging, though a few movements in a briefing room are a modest test. A long commute or a sweaty workout could tell a different story about pressure, comfort and grip.
Getting that balance right across different ear shapes was a central development challenge, Samsung said.
A shape-memory alloy band links the speaker and battery sections, flexing to accommodate the ear. Behind that simple-looking curve is what Samsung calls 4D computing-based AI optimization, used to simulate component arrangements and fine-tune how pressure is distributed.
“Recently, more users have wanted to enjoy content while also hearing their surroundings,” said Nam Hyun-jung, a member of Samsung’s MX wearable product planning group, according to briefing materials.
An open ear, however, gives the sound more room to wander. With the speaker sitting farther from the canal, bass can lose its punch and music can spill beyond its intended audience.
Samsung has fitted each earbud with two identical woofers, branded TwinBoost speakers, to bolster the low end. Sound-leakage reduction technology is intended to keep more of the listening experience private.
The company nevertheless acknowledged that nearby people may still hear some audio, depending on the volume, the wearer’s ear shape and the surrounding noise. How much bass reaches the listener—and how much music reaches the next person—will need a longer test in quieter and busier settings.
The earbuds can also adjust playback volume as ambient noise changes. Company representatives said the automatic adjustment has a ceiling, rather than endlessly chasing a louder environment with louder music.
For calls, Samsung says three microphones, a voice vibration sensor and machine-learning software help pick the wearer’s speech out of background noise. The vibration sensor assists with voice pickup; it does not mean music is delivered through bone conduction.
Several other features aim to take the small frictions out of daily use.
There is no need to inspect the buds for left and right markings before putting them on. They automatically assign the audio channels according to which ear they occupy.
Voice commands, head gestures and quick voice recordings are designed to keep the phone in the pocket more often. When paired with a compatible Galaxy device, the buds can also summon Google’s Gemini Live for spoken conversations. Some functions depend on the connected device and software version.
The design is less accommodating when it comes to personal taste. Something worn so visibly around the ear invites a choice of finishes, but buyers will have to settle for black.
For now, though, the fit makes the strongest case. The Buds On felt as though they were taking a lighter hold, yet jumping and jogging failed to shake them loose.
They passed that first test of staying on. Whether they remain something the wearer wants to keep on for hours is the question for the next outing.
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