The next version of Samsung's flagship earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, are pegged for release fairly soon (or as soon as the Galaxy S26 arrives). Now, thanks to Android Authority trawling the depths of One UI 8.5 , we have an idea of how the next pair of earbuds is going to look — and what they're going to do.
Beyond playing music, of course.
As you might expect, we've got something that looks an awful lot like a pair of AirPods, all the way down to rounder stems and buds. The case, though, looks wholly different — and the images found seem to give us a glimpse of what their features could be. Here's everything we know about Samsung's next pair of buds.
Galaxy Buds 4 Pro — early look
The first thing to note about the latest Galaxy Buds Pro is the departure from the more angled design of previous versions. Instead, we've got something much more rounded, with an AirPods Pro 3-like smooth bud design. That could do a number of things.
First, it could invite even more comparison to Apple's buds. A bit like what I've done with this article, to be honest. Second, it could make them more comfortable — the last pair were a bit sharp in places. Either way, you're also looking at the kind of color that the buds could be: a nice gray and silver.
The AirPods comparisons stop there, however. There seems to be a return to the flat case design of past Galaxy Buds, with a lid that opens the entire front of the case as opposed to just the top.
It's almost like a best-of design — the newer buds style with a more unconventional case design. I like it.
New features
During its travels into the source of One UI 8.5, Android Authority also found evidence of head tracking controls akin to those found in Sony and Google's earbuds. Instead of just a call answer or reject button, however, Samsung's new buds could use them for more granular control of the earbuds' functions.
It looks like you'll also be able to "respond to different notifications," accept vocal notifications or make them go away, and answer "yes/no questions or end conversations with an AI assistant." That AI assistant isn't named, but it's likely to be Google's Gemini or potentially ChatGPT.
Looks like I won't be able to skip tracks with my head, though. That's sad. But I can see it getting extremely annoying, so perhaps it's a good thing it's not a thing. yet.
There also looks to be some returning features, including ANC, 360 audio recording, and Find Your Phone. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are shaping up to an interesting pair of earbuds indeed.
The best earbuds for Samsung devices?
This latest version of Samsung's buds has got me thinking, though. Are these buds for everyone, or are they still aimed squarely at Galaxy users? Don't get me wrong, the feature list of past buds has been exhaustive and helpful, but a handful of features have only been available to Samsung users.
Previously, that would have made me nod, add it to my testing notes, and then pop a point into the 'pro' column of my review: "Works seamlessly with Galaxy devices." But now I'm not so sure. I think it might have to end up in the 'cons' column. Locking key features behind a different OS or even a single device feels like a missed opportunity.
A buyer might not have bought your phone or tablet, but they've just spent a lot of money on your earbuds — so why not give them everything? I hope that all of the features of the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are available to every user, but I suspect they won't be — and that'll be a con for me when I go write their review.
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