Samsung has officially unveiled its first clip-on earphones, the Galaxy Buds On, just a day after leaked images of the unusual design appeared online. The open-style earbuds are designed to sit outside the ear, with Samsung pitching them as a comfortable option for longer listening and activities such as running.
The clip-on design also leaves your ears open, meaning you can stay more aware of your surroundings while listening to music. That could make the Buds On an interesting alternative to Samsung’s more traditional in-ear Galaxy Buds.
The buds are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S7 Gen 1 chipset alongside a Class D amplifier, with Samsung claiming up to 9.5 hours of continuous use from a single charge. Touch controls are built into the rear of the buds for handling music playback and calls.
Samsung has also put some thought into calls. The Galaxy Buds On have three microphones and a bone conduction-based vibration sensor that can detect when you’re speaking. The idea is to help reduce background noise during calls, which should be particularly useful when you’re using the open design outdoors.
There are a few more tricks if you’re using the Buds On with a Galaxy smartphone or tablet equipped with Galaxy AI. The earphones can be used to invoke Samsung’s assistant and perform various actions, while Gemini Live is also supported.
Head Gestures add another hands-free option. You can answer or end calls, check notifications, cancel alarms and perform other actions using head movements rather than reaching for your phone.
Only for Korea
The Galaxy Buds On will cost KRW 299,999 (around $220) in South Korea and go on sale there from October 27. Samsung says the earphones will also launch in other regions in phases, although it hasn’t provided further regional pricing or availability details yet.
After years of conventional in-ear designs, Samsung is taking its Galaxy Buds range in a noticeably different direction here. The clip-on approach keeps your ears open while adding Galaxy AI, Gemini Live and gesture controls, making the Buds On more than just a change in shape.