Samsung launches first clip-on earbuds, Galaxy Buds On

An AI-generated image showing a person wearing Samsung's Galaxy Buds On wireless clip-on earbuds [Created with ChatGPT AI]

Samsung's long-rumored first clip-on wireless earbuds have officially arrived.

It marks the first time Samsung has released earbuds that clip onto the ear rather than sit inside it. The device will launch in South Korea on Oct. 27 before rolling out to global markets. The move puts Samsung in direct competition with Sony and Huawei in the clip-on earbuds segment, raising the question of whether the new form factor can become a core product line for the company.

Samsung will release the Galaxy Buds On in South Korea on Oct. 27, according to industry sources. Priced at 299,000 won ($220), the earbuds will be available in a single black colorway, with a global rollout to follow in stages.

Unlike conventional in-ear earbuds, the Galaxy Buds On use a clip-on design that rests on the outer ear. The open-ear structure is designed for activities such as outdoor running, where awareness of surrounding sounds is important. Users can control music playback and calls by lightly tapping the back of each earbud.

Samsung Electronics said it analyzed data from a wide range of ear shapes and ran simulations to optimize the placement of the speaker and battery for a comfortable fit.

Official product photo of Samsung's Galaxy Buds On [Provided by Samsung Electronics]

Samsung also packed the Galaxy Buds On with technologies aimed at overcoming the acoustic limitations of an open-ear design.

The earbuds feature TwinBoost Speaker technology to reinforce bass response, along with an automatic volume adjustment function that adapts to ambient noise levels.

Also notable is a sound-leakage reduction technology — applied here for the first time — that prevents audio from escaping outward, allowing users to listen in public spaces such as libraries and cafes without disturbing others.

The Galaxy Buds On supports up to 9.5 hours of continuous music playback on a single charge. When paired with a Galaxy AI-compatible smartphone or tablet, the earbuds enable a range of hands-free functions — including voice conversations, memo-taking and notification checks — without touching the device.

Users can activate a Quick Voice Memo feature by pressing and holding the touch area on the back of an earbud while speaking, with recordings instantly searchable through Bixby without pulling out a phone. The earbuds also support Head Gestures, which detects head movements as control inputs.

Bose's clip-on wireless earbuds, the Ultra Open [Bose website]

Whether the clip-on design can establish itself as a mainstay in Samsung's wireless earbud lineup remains to be seen.

Samsung previously offered bean-shaped earbuds around 2019 and 2020 before switching to a stem-style design with the Galaxy Buds 3. The addition of a clip-on model now gives the company two distinct earbud lines: the in-ear Galaxy Buds and the clip-on Galaxy Buds On.

Samsung's entry could also accelerate broader expansion of the clip-on earbuds market. Sony's LinkBuds Clip, Huawei's FreeCLIP 2 and Bose's Ultra Open are already on shelves, and observers expect Samsung's launch to spur further activity from rivals in the segment.

sjpark@heraldcorp.com