Samsung's Galaxy Buds On Brings Clip-On Open-Ear Design and Gemini Live
Samsung Electronics has launched Galaxy Buds On, its first open-ear earbuds, built around a clip-on design that leaves the ears open to ambient sound. Samsung Newsroom tested them across a day of running, work and commuting.
- Samsung Electronics has launched Galaxy Buds On, its first open-ear earbuds, with a clip-on design.
- Hands-free Gemini Live access works when paired with a Galaxy AI-enabled smartphone.
- Features include Head Gestures, voice commands, Quick Voice Memo and Intelligent Clear Call with three microphones.
- Samsung says some sound may leak depending on volume, ear shape and ambient noise, especially in quiet places.
A clip-on design aimed at all-day wear
According to Samsung, earbuds are now an everyday essential for music, calls, exercise and work, and with all-day use becoming common, comfort and awareness of surroundings matter as much as sound quality. Galaxy Buds On is Samsung's answer to that: a clip-on design that rests lightly on the ears.
Samsung says the earbuds stay securely in place even during vigorous head movements, and that users can adjust the angle of the band to suit their ear shape. The company describes an ergonomic design in which speaker and battery placement was optimized through data analysis and simulations involving a wide range of ear shapes. After hours of wear, Samsung's testers report, the earbuds remain comfortable without putting pressure on the ears.
The open design also lets wearers hear passing bicycles and runners approaching from behind while music plays. Samsung includes a caveat: because of the design, some sound may leak depending on playback volume, ear shape and ambient noise, and the leakage may be more noticeable in quiet environments. Actual performance may vary with the environment and fit.
Gemini Live, voice commands and head gestures
Galaxy Buds On offers hands-free access to Gemini Live when paired with a Galaxy AI-enabled smartphone. In the hands-on, saying "Hey Google, let's talk Live" launches Gemini Live, which can be asked for running route recommendations, distances and key features, so users do not need to take out their phones while warming up.
Music playback starts with a tap on the back of an earbud. Voice commands are another option: "Next song" and "Previous song" switch tracks, while "Volume up" and "Volume down" adjust the volume. Samsung says the TwinBoost speaker delivers enhanced bass compared with previous Galaxy Buds models.
For moments when hands are full, the Head Gestures feature lets users nod to answer incoming calls or shake their heads to decline them. Simple head movements can also be used to check message notifications and dismiss alarms.
Work and commute features
In shared workspaces, Samsung points to Audio Leakage Reduction technology, which minimizes sound escaping from the earbuds. Quick Voice Memo is meant to help with to-do lists after meetings: once a user presses and holds the back of an earbud and speaks, recording starts immediately. Users can later ask Bixby about their tasks and hear the details aloud, instead of searching through saved recordings.
Quick Voice Memo is available on Galaxy AI-enabled devices and requires the Samsung Voice Recorder and Bixby apps. The press-and-hold gesture must be configured separately in Settings.
For calls in noisy places such as crowded subway stations, Samsung relies on Intelligent Clear Call. Three microphones, a bone conduction-based Voice Pickup Unit Sensor and a machine learning-based solution work together to isolate the user's voice and reduce background noise.
What it means for users
Galaxy Buds On gives Samsung an open-ear option in its earbud range, aimed at people who want to stay aware of their surroundings while running, working or commuting. Several of the AI features, including Gemini Live and Quick Voice Memo, depend on a Galaxy AI-enabled phone or device, so the full experience is tied to Samsung's ecosystem. The source does not give pricing or availability details.
