The successor to the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 (pictured) could be on the horizon, according to a report by GalaxyClub following the discovery of a new set of Samsung buds with the model number SM-R400N.
Although the source of the discovery is unclear, the report is fuelling rumor speculation that Samsung is developing new earbuds. The GalaxyClub report says that the model naming convention means that these are unlikely to be a successor to the Editor's Choice-rated Galaxy Buds Pro 2 that arrived in October 2022, though.
It says that the new earbuds are most likely to be a successor to the Galaxy Buds 2 that arrived in 2021, or perhaps an intermediate model as happened with Samsung's first generation Galaxy Buds. It suggests that this may mean we could see a 'Buds 2+' or even 'Buds FE' versions on the horizon. And it doesn't rule out a 'Buds 2 Live' version.
Could next-gen buds arrive alongside a more affordable Galaxy phone?
Despite the lack of any new Galaxy Buds announcement at the recent Samsung Unpacked 2023 event, it's possible that they could arrive alongside the rumored low-cost Galaxy S23 FE phone. It's said to be positioned as a less expensive version of one of the phone maker's flagship handsets, and it's not difficult to imagine that a new version of the affordable Galaxy Buds could be an ideal budget phone partner.
Although there's no official word on any of the features or specs for a next-gen version of the Galaxy Buds, a Samsung executive seems to be indicating that a launch of some kind is forthcoming. Specifically, Justin Hume, vice-president of mobile for Samsung South Africa, spoke to Android Authority and responded positively when the publication asked him if there was "an FE-sized gap" between the Galaxy S23 and midrange Galaxy A54 that arrived earlier this year.
“There is an FE-sized gap in there, right now,” Hume replied. “There is going to be an announcement made. Imminently.”
Although we're hopeful that both stories are true, the lack of specific information or any leaked images of the new Galaxy Buds does throw a significant amount of shade on rumors. On the other hand it's two years since the arrival of the Galaxy Buds 2, so the timing for an update feels about right, and Samsung's comments on the S23 FE announcement imminently only adds fuel to the idea of further Galaxy models to come.
How will Galaxy Buds 3 stack up against AirPods Pro 2?
Without knowing any of the specs for the rumored Galaxy Buds 3 it’s hard to say exactly how they’ll stack up against rivals like the AirPods Pro 2. Nevertheless, there are a few areas where we'd expect to see upgrades.
Expectations are that the Galaxy Buds 3 will boast series staples such as active noise cancelation, AKG-tuned dynamic drivers, Samsung Galaxy Wearable app support, and a striking oval-shaped design. Boosts to proprietary technologies like 360 Audio and Bixby voice activation are likely to be accounted for, but we imagine that new features and minor usability enhancements such as the inclusion of motion detection could also be in the works.
To find out more of what features and enhancements we'd like to see included, check out our full rundown of where the Galaxy Buds 3 can beat the AirPods Pro 2. In the meantime, keep checking back for any Galaxy Buds developments.
