The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 look a lot like the discontinued Galaxy Buds, and also the Samsung Galaxy Buds. Both are wireless earbuds, both come in black, and both have a charging case. The Galaxy Buds 2 have a touchpad on the back, but lack a touch feature. Instead, they have a physical button that takes you back to your main music app and takes you forward to the next song. Shortly after the release of Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 1, the company teased the possibility of a second-generation wired accessory. We now know what that will look like, thanks to a recent leak—and it’s pretty damn cool.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 have been leaked on the web several times in the recent months, and as of next week, they are expected to be available at Best Buy stores across the country. Samsung plans to launch the successor to the Galaxy Buds TWS headphones later this year. Although the company has yet to unveil any official teasers, the upcoming audio wearable has been spotted in the US FCC database (via AllAboutSamsung.com) with live photos. The FCC listing also shows that the earbuds, which are tentatively called Galaxy Buds 2, are not far from their debut.
Talk about aesthetics
Photos from the FCC database show a design heavily inspired by the Galaxy Buds Pro headphones. Unlike the first generation Galaxy Buds, the Galaxy Buds 2 have a rounder profile. The images clearly show an optical sensor that detects if the headphones are on and starts/stops the music accordingly. The headphones are only shown in black, but other color options are likely in the works. There are several microphones – one facing in and one facing out. It’s unclear if the Galaxy Buds 2 will support active noise cancellation. At this point, however, it is worth noting that neither the first generation Galaxy Buds nor the Galaxy Buds+ had a noise cancellation feature. Samsung could also leave the ANC exclusively in the Pro versions to stand out and justify the higher price. According to rumors, the Galaxy Buds 2 will be able to pair with multiple devices. This means you can connect it to two devices at once. For example, you can use it to watch movies on your tablet.
If you receive an incoming call on your connected phone at the same time, the headset will switch seamlessly to your phone so you can take the call. After the call is disconnected, you can resume playback on the tablet. In recent days, Samsung has accelerated the production of parts for the next-generation Galaxy Bud SM-R177. The yields are stabilising, but do not yet reach 100%. However, the new buttons are coming sooner rather than later (TM). – Roland Quandt (@rquandt) 19. May 2024 The model number of the Galaxy Buds 2 in the US FCC database is SM-R177. In addition, the charging case supports 2.5 watts and the headphones support 0.6 watts. Bluetooth LE and Bluetooth v5.2 are responsible for wireless connectivity, but it’s unclear if they support the Bluetooth LE audio profile that will be included in Android 12. The Galaxy Buds 2 is rumored to officially debut around July or August, and they might even appear at the upcoming Unpacked event where Samsung’s new foldable devices will be unveiled.
Nadim Sarwar
I’ve been writing about consumer technology for over three years and have worked with names like NDTV and Beebom in the past. In addition to covering the latest news, I’ve been testing my share of devices, from smartphones to laptops to smart home devices. I’ve also interviewed techies and hosted videos on YouTube about the latest and greatest gadgets.The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 are the company’s anticipated follow up to the original Galaxy Buds, which were released last year. The new buds are said to sport a new speaker design with a similar look to Apple’s AirPod, but without AirPods’ ability to wirelessly charge. The buds will also come with an improved fit and will offer a better wireless connection with the Galaxy S8 and S8+ via Bluetooth 5.0.