Samsung presents the Galaxy Buds On, its first clip-on headphones that leave the ear open

Samsung has presented the Galaxy Buds Onits first wireless clip-on headphones. They attach to the ear and leave the ear canal free, so the user can listen to music without completely isolating themselves from the surrounding sounds. The company will release them in South Korea on October 27 for 299,000 won and plans to bring them to other markets later.

Open design changes the way you wear them compared to the Galaxy Buds that are inserted into the ear. Samsung proposes its use when walking or playing sports outdoors, situations in which it is useful to perceive traffic and nearby voices. Allowing you to hear the environment does not replace the user’s attention nor does it guarantee safety in all circumstances.

The company positions them as an alternative to its in-aural models. The speaker is outside the channel, so there is no need to activate an ambient sound mode to clear it. Outside noise will continue to reach the ear. Samsung has not published comparable measurements of sound isolation or leakage.

Clip adjustment and touch control

The brand explains that it analyzed data from different ear shapes and carried out simulations to place the speaker and battery. He expanded the contact surface to distribute pressure and adjusted the elasticity of the band in order to keep the headphones secure during movement.

Controls are located on the back of each earbud. One touch allows you to manage music and calls. The open construction prevents pressure from a pad inside the canal, but also poses acoustic challenges: sound can escape and external noise competes with playback. Samsung tries to respond to both with a TwinBoost speakerautomatic volume adjustment based on the environment and technology to reduce audio leakage. The company has not published a reduction figure that allows its effectiveness to be quantified.

Auto volume adapts playback to outdoor conditionsalthough Samsung does not detail the maximum levels or the adjustment criteria. Leakage reduction seeks to limit what people nearby hear. It will be necessary to test how much sound escapes at different volumes and distances.

The audio processor is a Qualcomm Snapdragon S7 Gen 1accompanied by a class D amplifier. Samsung announces Up to 9.5 hours of music per headphone charge. It has not detailed in the statement consulted how many hours the case adds or how long a full recharge takes. The advertised autonomy may also vary with the volume and activated functions.

Calls and features linked to Galaxy AI

To separate the voice from background noise, the Buds On combine three microphones, a sensor that detects vibrations associated with the voice, and processing using machine learning. Samsung gives examples of conversations with wind or the noise of a vacuum cleaner. The final quality will depend on the environment and must be verified in real use.

When connected to a Galaxy AI-enabled phone or tablet, Buds On allow you to start Gemini Live by voice, record a quick note, and use head gestures. Nodding or denying can be used to answer or end a call and manage certain alerts. Quick note is activated by pressing and holding the rear touch pad; To use it, you need a compatible device and the Samsung and Bixby recording applications. These are relevant conditions if they are going to be purchased for these specific functions.

Samsung specifies that gestures also allow you to dismiss an alarm or request that a message notification be read. In quick recording, the user must first configure the long press action in the phone settings. You can then search for what was recorded using Bixby without manually opening the voice memos app. The command to launch Gemini Live and the use of those features depends on the paired Galaxy device; The statement does not promise that all of them will be available when connected to any Bluetooth mobile.

The case makes it easy to pair with Galaxy phones and tablets when opened. On those devices, the volume and equalizer can be adjusted from the system controls without separately installing Galaxy Wearable. Samsung has not announced in the note all the details of compatibility with other phones, so it is advisable to wait for the commercial sheet before making these functions available outside of its ecosystem.

The Korean publication leaves the detailed commercial sheet until October 27. For now, the weight of each headset, water and dust resistance, the Bluetooth version and total autonomy with the case are missing. These are useful data to assess their use during exercise.

The Galaxy Buds On will arrive first in black in South Korea on October 27. His The price there will be 299,000 won (about 194 euros). Samsung talks about a gradual international launch, but has not yet communicated a date or price for Spain.