- Samsung clip-style earbuds appear leak again
- Now known as Galaxy Buds On, not Galaxy Buds Able
- Set to come with volume adaptation and head gestures
For a few months earlier in 2026, it really sounded like Samsung's debut clip-style earbuds were set to debut; even the Galaxy Wearable app leaked the Galaxy Buds Able. There's been silence for a few months… but it's starting to sound like the buds are still coming, albeit with a different name.
A new report from Samsung fan site SammyGuru has surfaced new information about the buds, now called the Galaxy Buds On, apparently. The site claims to have found information in Samsung's Buds Manager app that gives us another glimpse into the earbuds and their features.
Now, before you get excited for this new audio venture by Samsung, it's worth bearing in mind that the old question still stands: when will these come out? Some leaks are pointing to an October release for some new Samsung tablets, so the Buds On could come then.
But it's also possible that the brand will wait until 2027, when it's also rumored that we'll see some over-ear headphones from the company.
So under 'release date' we're putting an all-caps 'TBC', underlined several times in red pen. But the leak makes it sound like Samsung is finalizing some assets on the buds.
A range of Galaxy Buds 4 features
At the start of 2026, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro (shown at the top of the post) and one of the big new features was head-tracking control. This lets you nod or shake your head to reject or accept an incoming call, among other functions, and it sounds like the Galaxy Buds On will also get this tool.
SammyGuru's leak also details a Volume Boost feature, which could be how Samsung plans to deal with the innate open earbud problem: having the drivers away from your earbud means the buds don't always sound great.
Another tool promises a second way to address the same problem: an Auto Volume feature could temporarily increase volume while you're somewhere loud, to compensate for the lack of noise cancellation.
Of course it's 2026, so there's also AI features: Gemini or Bixby can be activated by your saying a key phrase or tapping the buds. A potentially more-useful function is the ability to instantly record a voice memo by doing a certain touch gesture, something some rival earbuds already offer.
To summarize this leak, it reiterates the existence of the buds and runs through some features. But I've tested dozens of similar buds: the best open-ears live and die by their design, and the ways they overcome the form factor's innate issues to deliver decent-sounding music. So features aren't as important as the elements we've yet to hear about.
➡️ Read our full guide to the best open earbuds
1. Best overall:
Shokz OpenFit 2+
2. Best cheap around-ear design:
Huawei FreeArc
3. Best cheap clip design:
Shokz OpenDots One
4. Best high-end clip design:
Bose Ultra Open
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