It's got a clip-on design to keep them in place.
By Mat Smith Oct. 28, 2026 8:00 am EST
Samsung Add Engadget on Google: Preferred Source Google Discover As competitors like Sony, Bose and Sennheiser reveal their takes on open-ear wireless earbuds, Samsung is taking another stab with the Galaxy Buds On, featuring a clip-on design for a more secure fit. While they don't pack high-level noise cancellation like the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, the company claims its new Audio Leakage Reduction tech reduces sound leakage by protecting reversed sound waves at the rear of each bud, ostensibly canceling it out. The company says it pulled data from over 119 million ear scans to help the Buds On fit across a range of ear shapes and sizes and have IP54 water resistance.
They're also designed to ensure a low-pressure fit around the ear, something many of us crave from open-ear buds, avoiding the discomfort from typical wireless headphones that form a seal around the ear canal. As mentioned, these aren't Samsung's first open-type design; you might recall the underwhelming Galaxy Buds Live. The more recent (and better) Galaxy Buds 4 launched earlier this year and also have an open-type, semi-in-ear profile like recent AirPods.
The Galaxy Buds On pack a new high-efficiency Class-D amplifier designed to balance power consumption and punchy sound. Battery life also looks solid, with an estimated 9.5 hours of music playback on a single charge. With the charging case, that should stretch to 38 hours.
Samsung's newest buds pack three mics and a voice pickup unit (VPU) that detects speech vibrations, which work together to isolate the caller's voice and cut out noise. Algorithms have been trained on a range of ambient sounds, including construction noises and car horns (is that a regular occurrence on your calls?). The Buds On also pack in head-gesture controls: nod or shake your head to accept or decline calls, and even dismiss alarms and notification readouts. The buds will also work with Galaxy smartphone features, including access to Gemini Live, Quick Voice Memo recordings and will connect to Galaxy phones as soon as you open the case.
The Galaxy Buds On will launch in early November 2026 and will be priced at $229.
