Samsung has confirmed that its new Galaxy Buds On will launch in the US in early November, bringing the company’s first clip-on earbuds to the market with a rather steep $229 price tag.

The earbuds were initially announced in South Korea earlier this month, but Samsung has now revealed US pricing and availability.

At $229, they’re just $21 cheaper than the flagship Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, despite lacking active noise cancellation (ANC). However, the Buds On take a different approach, using an open-ear design that lets users listen to music without blocking out surrounding sounds. That could make them particularly useful for runners, commuters or anyone who finds traditional in-ear earbuds uncomfortable.

Samsung says it analysed more than 119 million ear data points to develop the clip-on design, with each earbud weighing just 6.65g. Inside is an 11.3mm TwinBoost speaker, alongside Audio Leakage Reduction technology that uses reversed sound waves to limit how much audio escapes into the surroundings.

There’s also an experimental feature that automatically adjusts volume based on background noise, although this requires compatible Galaxy software.

The Galaxy Buds On are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S7 Gen 1 Sound Platform and promise up to 9.5 hours of playback, extending to 38 hours with the charging case. They also carry an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance, although their open-ear design means they won’t offer the same noise isolation or bass response as conventional earbuds.

Samsung has included three microphones and a voice pickup sensor to improve call clarity. Users with compatible Galaxy devices can also access Gemini Live through voice commands, record voice memos and use head gestures to answer or reject calls without reaching for their phones. Some of these features require newer versions of Samsung’s One UI software.

The Galaxy Buds On will initially be available in Black, with sales beginning in early November. At nearly the same price as Samsung’s premium earbuds, their appeal will largely come down to whether buyers value comfort and awareness of their surroundings over noise cancellation.