Samsung Galaxy Buds release date, price and specs news
The Galaxy Buds are a new pair of wireless earbuds from Samsung, during the February2019 Galaxy Unpacked press conferencealongside theSamsung Galaxy S10 rangeand the all-new (and super expensive)Galaxy Fold. The AirPod competitors aren’t exactly a surprise, as they were prematurely revealed via a number of leaks and patents prior to the announcement, but we’ve finally got an official look and a lot more information.
Here’s all there is to know about Samsung’s Galaxy Buds, from release date and pricing to the headline features.Also see:What to expect from the MWC 2019 heavyweights
When will the Galaxy Buds launch?
Following a reveal at Galaxy Unpacked, the Samsung Galaxy Buds are nowavailable to buy from Samsungfor£139/$129.
Check out ourGalaxy Buds review.
How much will the Galaxy Buds cost?
Despite the high £199 price tag of Samsung’sIconX headphones, the Buds are more wallet-friendly and are actually cheaper than Apple’s £159 AirPods.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds will cost£139in the UK, and$129in the US. Pre-orders are now live viaSamsungand retailers includingCarphone Warehousein the UK, promising a delivery date of 21 March 2019.
Interestingly,Amazon has a slightly cheaper price of £129.
It’s also worth noting that Samsung is offering a free pair of Galaxy Buds withearly pre-orders of the Galaxy S10, saving you over £100/$100.
What do the Samsung Galaxy Buds offer?
The Galaxy Buds are the successor to theGear IconX(shown at top of page) headphones we saw last year, offering an all-round improvement in terms of design and tech. The Galaxy Buds are 30 percent smaller than last year’s wireless earbuds, and shouldn’t protrude from your ears like other wireless earbuds on the market.
A smaller form factor is always welcome, but what makes the Galaxy Buds so special and a true competitor to the AirPods? First up, the case offers wireless charging support (something AirPodsshouldoffer soon) that is compatible not only with a range of wireless chargers but the Galaxy S10’s Wireless PowerShare charging, making it easy to keep on top of battery life. There is also a standard USB-C port for those that want to give the buds a quick top-up.
Speaking of battery life, the Galaxy Buds should last for 5 hours of talk time or six hours of music with a single charge, blowing AirPods 2-5 hour battery life out of the water. But unlike Apple’s 25-hour offering, Samsung’s charging case only offers an extra 7 hours of charge before it’ll need a top-up.
You’ve also got access to one-tap Bixby, Google Assistant or Alexa. Bixby is the default assistant built into Samsung’s wireless buds, but you can use any other Android-supported virtual assistant that you choose. This allows users to respond to messages, make calls and even control smart home tech without using a smartphone.
Of course, the Galaxy Buds wouldn’t be a true AirPods competitor without impressive audio capabilities, and it looks like Samsung has that covered. The Samsung Galaxy Buds offer AKG-tuned earbuds that should boast a huge improvement over the IconX, while also using dual-microphone technology to further improve overall quality.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds are available in Black, White and a rather dazzling Yellow finish – which will you choose?
Author: Chris Martin, Reviews Editor, Tech Advisor
Chris got his break as a reporter at infamous site The Inquirer and has been at Tech Advisor for more than 12 years. With a BA degree in Music Technology, audio is his specialism, but over the years he has reviewed all kinds of gadgets, from smartwatches to mesh Wi-Fi to coffee machines.
