Samsung is readying the Galaxy Buds+ to compete with the AirPods Pro

Jump to:

• Latest news
• Battery life
• Sound quality
• Fast charging
• Active noise cancellation
• IP certification
• Price and availability

Rumors and innovations

In December 2019, the first rumors emerged that Samsung is preparing an upgraded version of the Galaxy Buds true wireless headphones for 2020. It was the enigmatic mention "SM-R175" on the site of the Korean giant that started things off. A new rumor reported by the Sammobile suggests that these new headphones (which will potentially be called the Galaxy Buds+) will not be equipped with active noise cancellation. This decision is very surprising given that we've seen this feature appear on an increasing array of true wireless headphones, including the Sony WF-1000XM3, Apple AirPods Pro, and the Amazon Echo Buds.

Before criticizing Samsung for not wanting to offer such a great feature, we must keep in mind that at this point it is just a rumor. The Sammobile site is known to report information on certain specificities concerning products in the development phase. In addition, rumors are flying around when it comes to new Samsung products. The list of true and false rumors is extremely long.

One other thing. the true wireless headphone industry is a fast-moving game. The innovative products of early 2019 now seem outdated or even old-school compared to the new products to come in 2020. The Galaxy Buds are therefore faced with this situation of constant innovation and it is only natural that consumers expect real improvements.

A better battery

Whatever the product, we are all concerned, as consumers, about battery life. The battery life of wireless headphones has gradually improved and in some cases - such as the recent Master & Dynamic MW07 - this improvement has been profound. The Galaxy Buds contain a 6-hour battery, but we can expect this to increase for future models. Interestingly, Sammobile claims that Samsung's next headphones will have batteries that last 12 hours - doubling the battery life of the Galaxy Buds! This could turn the tables in Samsung's favor.

Better sound quality

In our review, we were enthusiastic about the Galaxy Buds, even claiming that they were better than Apple AirPods. Our test also showed that the sound of these Samsung earphones was excellent. In view of the new features, Samsung is sure to go all out to provide excellent sound quality. Against the competition, the Galaxy Buds+ will have to offer a much better sound than the Galaxy Buds if they are to compete in today's market.

No more juice in the charger

The innovations around the future Galaxy Buds+ charger remains a puzzle. The Galaxy Buds can be charged wirelessly via Qi. It may take a little longer, but it's pretty convenient. If you're using a Galaxy S10 or Huawei Mate 20 Pro, you can even charge the headphones on the back of your smartphone. The challenge for Samsung will be to offer the same charging features while providing more power, especially in view of the potential technological advances that future products may contain.

Active noise cancellation

With the introduction of the Sony WF-1000XM3, Echo Buds, AirPods Pro and the MW07 Plus, one thing is clear: active noise cancellation has become the must-have feature for true wireless headphones. In order for the Galaxy Buds+ to compete with the competition, they need to have this feature. The Samsung Galaxy Buds reliably suppress ambient noise and protect the wearer, but that's not enough these days.

Better resistance to dust and water

Many consumers are wondering whether or not true wireless headphones should be water-resistant. The question is not superfluous because it depends on how you use the headphones, for example, if you put the headphones on for jogging in really rainy weather, or if you want to listen to music in a sauna, you'll want that IP rating. The Galaxy Buds are rated IPX2, which is the worst official rating in terms of water resistance. On the contrary, its competitors such as the AirPods Pro are rated IPX4, the Jabra, Elite Active 75t and Elite 75t models are certified IP55, which is much better. In any case, the new Galaxy Buds should offer a better level of water resistance than last year's version.

Price and release date

For the moment, the assumptions are based only on an interpretation of data from the Samsung site. However, we are expecting new revelations with the release of the Galaxy S20 on February 11, 2020. We will then have more information about the Galaxy Buds+. We'll let you know.

Source: Digitaltrends, Sammobile