Full Samsung Galaxy Buds Live details revealed ahead of launch
UPDATE: Unlike the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra, which have been as transparent as glass for a while now, the Galaxy Buds Live still had plenty of secrets up their sleeves... until Samsung and prolific leaker Roland Quandt spilled the beans in full.
In addition to active noise cancellation, we now know Samsung's direct AirPods Pro rivals will have 12mm audio drivers, AKG sound optimizations, and most importantly, up to a monumental 28 hours of battery life going for them. By themselves, the earbuds are capable of keeping your favorite tunes going for a maximum of 7.5 hours between charges, but only if you switch off both the ANC technology and a new "Always On Mic" feature.
With ANC and AOM enabled, that impressive number drops to 5.5 hours, which is also not bad. What's perhaps even more impressive is that the Galaxy Buds Live can squeeze 35 minutes of music playback out of a 35-minute quick charge. Naturally, the bundled charging case will be equipped with wireless functionality, and believe it or not, the entire bundle is set to cost a measly $169 in the US.
That's slightly higher than the previously rumored $150 price point, nonetheless undercutting the AirPods Pro with similar if not superior capabilities, as well as a weight of 5.6 grams per bud. That's pretty incredible considering the aforementioned battery life scores. Our original story follows below.
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This is something that was initially rumored way back in April, but never actually confirmed or even repeated much by reputable publications or reliable leakers in recent weeks. While it remains unclear if the Galaxy Buds Live will end up being formally unveiled alongside the Note 20 duo and Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G on August 5 or a little earlier than that, Samsung has just spilled the beans (pun absolutely intended), revealing the key selling point of its oddly shaped AirPods Pro alternatives.
As expected (and as already confirmed just yesterday), these bad boys will indeed be called Galaxy Buds Live (rather than Bean Buds or BudsX), and as originally rumored, their undoubtedly impressive list of features includes state-of-the-art active noise cancellation technology.
This will allow Samsung's third-ever pair of true wireless earbuds (and the first to be shaped as kidney beans) to directly compete against the incredibly well-reviewed and wildly popular AirPods Pro. But if all the early speculation will pan out, the "hearables" industry rookie could undercut the veteran and market leader by a whopping $100.
That's right, the Galaxy Buds Live are tipped to cost as little as $150, although that particular piece of gossip seemed kind of sketchy straight off the bat, so you might not want to take it for granted yet. After all, the Galaxy Buds+ are officially priced at 150 bucks with stellar battery life and a more... conventional design in tow, but no active noise cancellation.
The only other things today's slipup reveals are touch controls, equalizer options, and a quick toggle that will allow you to turn the ANC functionality on and off from the official mobile Galaxy Buds companion app for this upcoming Live model.
Recently rendered in a trio of eye-catching colors, the high-end true wireless earbuds are also expected to match the 11-hour battery endurance scores of the Buds+ while featuring a grand total of three microphones and two speakers for crystal clear calls and premium sound quality.
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