It’s almost two years since we were introduced to the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2, and now we’re hearing more and more about plans for the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
To date, Samsung has struggled to compete alongside Apple, Sony and Bose for sound quality in the wireless earbud market. As a result, rumors and leaks are currently pointing toward a number of drastic changes for the third-generation Galaxy Buds.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3: What we know so far
Design changes, active noise canceling, improved battery life, hi-res audio and, most interestingly, AI capabilities are the order of the day when it comes to news surrounding the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
Design
Previous editions of the Galaxy Buds 3 have taken on a bulbous design without a stem, making them quite distinctive against their competitors. However, according to recent leaks, Samsung may be about to completely switch up their design by moving towards a more Apple AirPods style look.
An image posted by a South Korean retail site, via SamMobile, portrays buds that look remarkably similar to the AirPods, while the charging case is also very similar to Apple’s.
The introduction of a stem for the first time on the Galaxy Buds 3 helps with the similarities, for sure, but Samsung appears to have gone for a more angular design to help set them apart from Apple’s smoother edges.
In this particular image, the Galaxy Buds 3 are a metallic/silver color, while we don’t yet know for sure if there will be other colors available, although Android Headlines are reporting that there may be two colors available: Silver and White.
Specs & Features
According to Android Headlines, we can expect a one-way speaker in the Buds 3 and a two-way speaker in the Buds 3 Pro.
The Pro version will also likely feature adaptive noise control, blade lights and ambient sound. The standard Galaxy Buds 3 will not include any of those features. What are blade lights? No one really knows at the moment.
The two things that will be available on both versions of the Buds 3 are Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Ultra High-Quality Sound with 24 bit/96 kHz. That will really improve the sound quality compared to previous generations, especially when listening via a Samsung smartphone.
Both versions will offer support for 360-degree audio and will, as standard, have an IP57 durability rating. On top of that, they’ll both offer 5.4 Bluetooth protocol and Auto Switch, which allow users to seamlessly switch between listening on multiple Galaxy devices via Bluetooth multipoint.
Battery Life
Android Headlines’ report suggests the Galaxy Buds 3 will last for five hours with ANC on, while you’ll get six hours with ANC on with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. You’ll be able to get an extra hour of battery life on each with ANC switched off.
The charging cases will be slightly different in size for both, with the Buds 3 offering up to 24 hours of battery life and the Buds 3 Pro giving us 30 hours.
AI Features
Perhaps one of the most anticipated features of the Galaxy Buds 3 is the introduction of AI capability. Samsung went heavy with AI features on the new Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphone, so it’s no real surprise that rumors suggest they intend to extend that to their wireless buds range.
These rumors are being fueled by a post on Samsung’s own community forum, via Tom’s Guide, which features what appears to be marketing material that says the Buds 3 range will be “where audio meets AI.”
What this means exactly remains to be seen, but perhaps the Buds 3 will have Google Gemini and or Galaxy AI support, which will make it easier for users to interact with these features without having to take their Galaxy smartphone out of their pocket.
When will the Galaxy Buds 3 be released?
It’s widely believed the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro at their Unpacked event on July 10, alongside the Samsung Z Fold 6, Flip 6, Watch 7 and more.
However, there have also been hints an announcement may even come a lot earlier, as a result of Samsung having so many new products to go through at the event.
This may lead to them sharing some of their smaller product releases before the big event in Paris.
How much will the Galaxy Buds 3 cost?
There are no concrete indications on pricing just yet but judging by the cost of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, which was $229, that’s a rough indication of what to expect.
We may have to expect a slight increase given the overall increase in the costs of manufacturing and materials, but it’s believed the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro won’t be far off that.
The Galaxy Buds 2 were priced at $139, and the same logic applies here, too.
Featured Image: Coupang
