Open Ears, Full Sound: Galaxy Buds On Targets the Premium Earbud Market

[Financial News] Samsung Electronics is set to unveil clip-on wireless earbuds that let users hear surrounding sounds without blocking their ears. The product targets people who want to enjoy music while staying aware of their surroundings when exercising or working. In a clip-on earbud market crowded with low-priced products, the company plans to target premium buyers by emphasizing comfort, sound quality and connectivity with Galaxy devices.
According to Samsung Electronics on the 20th, Galaxy Buds On, the first clip-on earbuds in the Galaxy Buds series, will launch on the 27th in a single color: black. Designed to hook over the ear, they let users hear cars and bicycles while running and talk in cafés or offices without taking out their earbuds.
Samsung Electronics designed the product to reduce the inconvenience of having to take out earbuds to talk with people nearby, while catering to demand from people who want to hear both music and surrounding sounds. Nam Hyeon-jeong, a professional in the Wearable Product Planning Group of Samsung Electronics' MX Business, explained at a press briefing that a consumer survey found about 73% of clip-on earbud users also owned conventional in-ear earbuds and said they switched between the two depending on the situation. The company said it focused on how users choose different products when they need immersion and concentration versus when they want to listen to music while remaining aware of their surroundings.
The company also worked to improve comfort and stability for ears of different shapes. Samsung Electronics collected ear data from people of various ethnicities and age groups, amassing 119 million data points, and simulated how the earbuds would fit using 4D computing-based AI optimization technology. It reviewed the length and angle of the band and the placement of the speakers and battery, and designed the parts that touch the ear to distribute contact area and pressure evenly. Shape-memory alloy was used in the connecting parts so they could flexibly adjust to the shape of the ear. The earbuds also incorporate recognition technology, including head gestures that let users answer calls with a nod and turn off alarms by shaking their heads from side to side when their hands are difficult to use.
Lee Myung-hwan, group head of Wearable Product Planning at Samsung Electronics' MX Business, said, “We gathered data on how the head moves while running or exercising on a treadmill and how the product sits in the ear, then optimized both comfort and stability.”

Because clip-on earbuds can have weaker bass when their speakers are farther from the eardrum, Buds On features a “Twin Boost Speaker” with two identical woofer speakers in a single earbud. Samsung Electronics said the two woofers increase output to deliver rich bass and clear sound even in a clip-on design. The earbuds also feature automatic volume adjustment, which raises the volume when surrounding noise increases and returns it to its original level when things quiet down.
Technology to reduce sound leakage—a problem when listening to music in public places—has been applied to the Galaxy Buds series for the first time. It uses sound waves with the opposite phase to the sound coming from the speakers to cancel out sound that would otherwise leak outside. During calls, three microphones per earbud, a bone-conduction-based sensor that detects vocal vibrations, and machine-learning technology work together to separate the user's voice from surrounding noise.
When paired with smartphones or tablets that support Galaxy AI, the earbuds let users control music and answer or reject calls by voice. Saying, “Hey Google, let's talk live,” launches Gemini Live so users can continue the conversation. Users can also leave a voice memo by pressing and holding the back of an earbud while speaking. Head movements can also be used to dismiss alarms and check message notifications. These features are supported on One UI 9.0 and later.
The group head cited comfort, sound quality and the experience of connecting with Galaxy devices as strengths of Galaxy wearable products. He said, “We've made the products convenient to use from the moment you connect and set up Galaxy phones and Buds,” adding, “When you try them on, you'll be able to feel the difference in comfort, stability and sound quality.” Buds On will sell for 299,000 won.
[email protected] Yoon Hong-jip Reporter