Samsung entered the open-ear earbud category a full year after Sony and Bose, and no one can agree on what technology the Buds Able uses.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Able are real, confirmed, and still a mystery to leakers.
The model number SM-U600 appeared in the code of the Galaxy Wearable app earlier this month, the first Samsung audio product to break the pattern of the SM-Rxxx Galaxy Buds used since 2019.
The clip-on icon appeared in One UI 9 days later, and the EB-BU600AAY battery cleared BIS and TUV certifications alongside Samsung’s Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and Z Fold 8 Wide batteries.
Restlessness is what is inside them. Some leakers insist on running the bones; others read the same firmware icon and concluded that Samsung has pursued traditional drivers that open the ears. Either way, this is Samsung’s first open-air product, falling into a category already populated by Bose, Sony, and Shokz.
Here is what is known so far.
When Is The Samsung Galaxy Buds Release Date?
Samsung has not announced the release date of the Galaxy Buds Able, and the leak points to two ways at the same time: the product seems to be real, but the launch of July still looks uncertain.
The timeline started with tipster Ice Universe, who wrote on Weibo about Samsung’s engraved earbuds labeled “Able” in March 2025, then deleted the post. Korean outlet Sedaily later floated a H2 2025 launch, but that window passed without an announcement.
In April 2026, strong evidence that Buds Able was still moving forward came when the EB-BU600AAY battery cleared BIS and TUV certifications. That time tends to suggest that the hardware is progressing towards the release, especially because the battery appeared next to the parts tied to Samsung’s next folders.
But some signs of initiation are not yet available. No FCC filings yet for the SM-U600, and no Samsung trademark exists for “Galaxy Buds Able.” Both spaces make near term launches difficult to manage as locked in.
Galaxy Unpacked on July 22 is controversial for that reason. 91mobiles and SammyGuru see the certifications as a sign that Samsung might launch Buds Able alongside the Galaxy Fold 8 Wide, while SamMobile says the earbuds have been delayed several times and are not expected at the event.
“BIS approvals usually come when devices are about to be ready, and the timing coincides with Samsung’s usual July rollout window,” 91mobiles wrote.
Samsung’s earbuds also make reading the time difficult. The Galaxy Buds 4 line shipped in February 2026 alongside the Galaxy S26, leaving the July Unpacked window that Samsung used for the Buds 3 in 2024.
| Model | Released | The event |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Buds 3 / 3 Pro | July 2024 | Galaxy Unpacked |
| Galaxy Buds 4 / 4 Pro | February 2026 | Galaxy Unpacked (rarely early) |
| Galaxy Buds Able | TBD | July Releases? (opposite) |
What to Expect from the Samsung Galaxy Buds Able
Samsung’s installation confirms the form factor and charging case, but most of the feature details are still coming out of the single firmware icon.
Here’s what we know so far:
Open-ear audio technology
This is a contradiction in terms. SammyGuru’s Josh Skinner sees the same dome-and-grille icon everywhere else and reads the bone conduction.
9to5Google reads it differently. “While it’s still possible that Samsung is working on skeletonization, the structure here suggests the company is in denial,” the outlet wrote. PhoneArena agrees, arguing against leaked designs for traditional drivers.
The section itself includes a neat answer. Shokz built its name on bone conduction and now sells the OpenFit 2 with what it calls “DualBoost air conduction,” a compound that pushes air instead of vibrating.
Clipping design
A leaked icon indicates an open clip, which fits an open ear rather than a closed ear bud. Its on-ear design is what drives the bone-conduction-versus-air-conduction debate, while the visible grille points more to the microphone than any certified speaker technology.
That would put Samsung closer to the cuff-and-clip side of open-ear audio than a neckband-style fitness earbud. Bose uses a cuff on the Ultra Open, Sony wraps the LinkBuds Clip around the ear with a flexible band, and Huawei’s FreeClip uses a C-bridge.
Samsung’s version appears to be going down that same design route, but the leaked icon doesn’t have enough details to say how secure or comfortable the fit will be.
Active noise cancellation
Don’t expect anything. Skinner wrote that the Buds Able “will not offer any active noise cancellation, which could be a big deal for some,” but it would be misleading to call this Samsung’s approval.
The Bose Ultra Open, Sony LinkBuds Clip, or Shokz OpenFit 2 do not offer ANC, because open ear designs leave the ear open by default and make active noise cancellation a physical conflict.
Battery and charging case
The charging case is a single piece with solid numbers. The TUV certification lists a rated 515mAh and a standard capacity of 530mAh, which puts it within range of the Huawei FreeClip case’s impressive 510mAh. What’s missing is an earbud battery, which means listening times are a guess until Samsung says more.
Integration of the Samsung ecosystem
Buds Able is already available in software. The SM-U600 sits inside the Galaxy Wearable app code, and Samsung has been pushing Galaxy AI features like Live Translate into its earbuds, making some kind of installation easier. SmartThings and Samsung Health are the next obvious hooks given Samsung’s cross-device push, though nothing has yet appeared in the leak.
New aspects of hearing health
The word “Able” has expressed a different perspective on hearing health, depending on the precedent set by Apple last year.
Samsung has yet to ship a hearing aid product, although a peer-reviewed study tested the Galaxy Buds Pro for hearing loss and found it to be effective. That precedent is real, but the research findings are not a shipping product.
What any of these should cost is a part that hasn’t been leaked to anyone.
How Much Will the Samsung Galaxy Buds Cost?
No official value exists, and none of the regulatory filings include one. A more conservative estimate is $200 to $230, based on SammyGuru’s Josh Skinner writing that the Buds Able “will sit somewhere between the Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro in price.” Samsung currently sells those for $179 and $249.
That list would put the Buds Able below the Bose Ultra Open and roughly on par with Sony’s LinkBuds Clip, while still leaving the Shokz OpenFit 2 and Huawei FreeClip as cheaper open-ear alternatives.
Because of this, Samsung will not be a cheap brand in open earbuds. Its best argument will come from Galaxy AI, Samsung Health, SmartThings, and the tight integration of the Galaxy ecosystem rather than price alone.