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Samsung has unceremoniously made the first-of-a-kind Galaxy Buds On official at last

Samsung's first open-ear clip-style wireless earbuds are set to go on sale... in just one country on October 27 at a pretty extravagant price.

By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Oct 01, 2026, 2:40 AM

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Official Samsung Galaxy Buds On product image

The Galaxy Buds On look nothing like the Galaxy Buds 4 or Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. | Image by Samsung

If you were expecting the Galaxy Buds On (formerly known as Galaxy Buds Able) to be unveiled alongside the Galaxy Tab S12+ and Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra after several months of speculation and a number of design leaks, you were probably left bitterly disappointed by the announcement of Samsung's latest iPad Pro alternatives yesterday.

Then came the heartbreaking news of the widely expected Galaxy S26 series price increase earlier today, but to (try to) turn your frown upside down, Samsung is officially detailing its first-ever clip-type wireless earbuds... in South Korea only.

These are all the Galaxy Buds On specs and features confirmed at the moment

TwinBoost speakers;
Audio Leakage Reduction technology;
Snapdragon S7 Gen 1 Sound Platform;
High-efficiency Class D amplifier;
Intelligent Clear Call technology;
Three built-in microphones;
Bone conduction vibration sensor;
Up to 9.5 hours of battery life;
Galaxy AI;
Gemini Live;
Head Gestures;
Black color.

Quite a few key details are still missing

How well will the Galaxy Buds On be able to handle water immersion and dust contact? What's the total battery endurance rating with the bundled charging case factored in? When and where is this entirely new type of Galaxy Buds supposed to be released in addition to Samsung's homeland? Most importantly, what's the recommended price outside of South Korea?

The total battery life rating is just one of the currently unknown details. | Image by Samsung

Those are only a few of the questions left without answer by the unusually discreet Galaxy Buds On launch, but for what it's worth, we do know the official Korean price... and it's not great.

At KRW 299,000 ($220), you're looking at a slightly cheaper model than the ultra-high-end Galaxy Buds 4 Pro here, but a more expensive one than the "regular" Galaxy Buds 4. That means that we should probably expect a list price of around $200 or even $220 or so stateside... if the Galaxy Buds On are ever released in the US, which is unfortunately far from guaranteed right now.

Would you ever consider an open-ear product like the Galaxy Buds On?

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Even in South Korea, the commercial debut is still not exactly right around the corner, being curiously scheduled for October 27.

So what's the main idea here?

If you're not familiar with the concept behind open-ear clip-style earbuds, it's actually pretty easy to understand. While in-ear products like the aforementioned Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro go, well, in your ears, often isolating you from your surroundings and causing (literal) headaches and discomfort after extended wear in the name of delivering the best possible sound quality, the Galaxy Buds On go on your ears, utilizing something called bone conduction technology to offer... decent audio performance and much better comfort.

The open-ear Galaxy Buds On are coming (relatively) soon... in South Korea only. | Image by Samsung

This kind of design is obviously not entirely new, and Samsung will have to take on a bunch of already successful products in the rapidly growing open-ear category like the Bose Ultra Open and Shokz OpenDots 2.

Those are not very affordable earbuds either, mind you, so the Galaxy Buds On could definitely make an impact if their overall sound quality, call quality, all-day comfort, and battery life promises line up with the real-world user experience.

Because this is 2026, a good chunk of the marketing around the latest addition to the already pretty expansive and eclectic Galaxy Buds family seems focused on Galaxy AI tricks and Gemini Live conversations.

Whether you've heard of them or not, the Shokz OpenDots 2 are among the most popular clip-on earbuds available right now. | Image by Shokz

Then again, I'm personally a lot more excited to see (or rather hear) the groundbreaking Audio Leakage Reduction technology that promises to allow you to "enjoy your audio with confidence in public spaces like libraries or cafes" and the combination of three microphones, a Voice Pickup Unit that detects vibrations during speech, and various machine learning-based solutions designed to ensure crystal clear calls "even in windy outdoor environments or noisy indoor settings."

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.

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