Samsung’s traditional Galaxy Buds line of in-ears is reportedly coming with a radically different open-ear wearable called the ‘Galaxy Able’
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July 7 update below: Why the Clip-On design could be a key strategic upgrade to Samsung’s product catalog. This article was originally published on July 5
Samsung has quietly revealed the names of three new Galaxy devices ahead of launch.
According to data buried in the company’s own Galaxy Wearable app, Samsung is set to launch the ‘Galaxy Watch 9’, a successor to the current Galaxy Watch 8, and the ‘Galaxy Watch Ultra 2’, a replacement for the Galaxy Watch Ultra. A third update reveals the name “Galaxy Able”, which is believed to be a new type of headphone that was originally thought to deploy bone conduction technology to produce sound.
Samsung Galaxy Able: A Radical Departure
According to Sammobile, the three unannounced product names are explicitly mentioned for the first time in the code for version 2.2.70.26060861 of the Galaxy Wearable app, with the watch’s product names confirmed in user-supplied screenshots @Alfaturk16 in X.
Aside from the expected Galaxy Watch updates, the “Galaxy Able” name is unusual in that it completely removes the “buds” definition, a significant change from the previous term “Galaxy Buds Able” found in an earlier version of the Galaxy Wearable app.
The original of Android Authority report as of April 2026 noted that the product then described in the code as “BUDSABLE” carried the model number SM-U600. This is a radical departure from the current “SM-R” prefix used by existing Galaxy Buds products that also used internal codenames based on composers such as “Handel” and “Bach”. While there are actual synthesizers with the spelling “Abel,” the new product’s “Able” moniker remains entirely devoid of synthesizers, strongly suggesting an entirely new, separate product line.
The initial reveal of the Galaxy Buds Able garnered polarized responses from social media. community response There is immediate doubt as to whether the product will actually use bone conduction technology to produce sound. The anticipated design of the clip-on was revealed on previously leaked artwork seems to contradict this modus operandi, looking rather like Sony’s existing one Clip LinkBuds product. Sony’s product does not use bone conduction to reproduce sound, but it does does use it to improve microphone quality during voice calls. Samsung has already developed a similar bone-conduction-based voice-enhancement technology in its flagship Galaxy Buds4 Pro closed-ear product. This technology would translate nicely to any new open-ear design, providing a similar boost in call quality.
Sony’s LinkBuds Clip uses conduction to improve voice quality during calls.
SONY
The advantage of the open ear
True bone conduction headphones offer an interesting listening proposition: they leave your ears completely open and unobstructed. Offering essentially the opposite experience of noise-canceling headphones, the open-ear designs of various technologies allow you to remain fully aware of the environmental sounds around you at all times. This is perfect for users such as athletes or cyclists who want constant situational awareness for safety reasons.
The big downside, however, is sound quality, especially deep bass reproduction, which usually relies on achieving an effective seal in or around your ear if you want to hear such low frequencies from tiny headphone-sized drivers. Users of Sony’s LinkBuds Clip note that the deep bass performance may be compromised compared to traditional near-ear designs.
Update July 7: Market implications of Samsung’s potential entry into the open-ear earbuds category
Samsung Galaxy Able: Threat to Apple’s AirPod supremacy?
Samsung’s expected clip-on device would pose a unique threat to Apple’s flagship 23% TWS market share. By moving into territory already tested by the Sony LinkBuds Clip, Samsung could deliver the deep integration into the Galaxy ecosystem needed to transform the open-ear form factor from a niche accessory to a truly mainstream product category. This move exploits a gap in the AirPods range that Apple can’t fill.
A flagship open-ear audio product will offer a compelling Android-based alternative to a large group of users who currently rely on Apple AirPods, such as runners and office workers who demand unobstructed situational awareness and a high level of comfort.
Apple’s AirPods Pro attempt to solve situational awareness digitally by using transparency mode. However, AirPods, like all closed-ear designs, also cause ear canal fatigue under prolonged wear.
In contrast, clip-on, open-ear buds like the Sony LinkBuds Clip leave the ear canal completely unblocked. This, Sony claims, allows them to be worn comfortably “all day”, and many users simply do not like the feel of the silicone tips in the ear at all. Extended usage times also offer new opportunities for persistent health monitoring that Samsung could integrate into the Samsung Health ecosystem. in the most comfortable, possibly transparent open-ear product when training or cycling.
Alfaturk16’s leak locks in a July 22 release date for the new Galaxy Watches, potentially giving Samsung just a few weeks to unveil what could turn out to be a radical addition to the company’s wearable portfolio.
