Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro True Wireless: the earbuds that want to dethrone the AirPods

As every year, at its latest Unpacked event where the latest Galaxy S26 smartphone range was presented (see our news article Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, a welcome evolution), Samsung also took the opportunity to announce its new True Wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 4/4 Pro. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4/4 Pro, open and insulated models respectively. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4/4 Pro abandon the angular shape of the stems, as well as the characteristic lighting, in favor of a metallic surface allowing for more precise touch control, thanks to a textured surface. The Galaxy Buds 4 (see photo left below) remain an open-back design, while the ear tips of the Pro versions (see photo right below) completely seal the ear canal for better isolation. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, two-way model. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro utilize a larger woofer in its two-way configuration for clearer bass. The tweeter, for its part, delivers richer and more natural treble, according to Samsung. Both models are compatible with Hi-Res Audio up to 96 kHz/24-bit, and with 360 multi-channel audio (therefore compatible with Spatial Audio files available on Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, Tidal, Deezer, and Qobuz) combined with Head Tracking. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: active noise cancellation, instant translation, and head gesture control. They also feature an adaptive equalizer and adaptive noise cancellation (ANC), both of which automatically adjust to your needs. The 4 Pro, however, stands out with its more advanced ANC, capable of detecting the user's voice and modifying ambient sound for conversations—features already present on the previous model. Finally, when paired with a Galaxy smartphone featuring Galaxy AI, you can enjoy instant translation of conversations captured by the earbuds on the phone's screen. Inspired by Apple's AirPods 3, the new Samsung earbuds detect head movements, allowing you to interact with Bixby or phone calls (nodding your head, for example, to answer or reject a call). Both models are available in white and black (with a gold option for the Pro models, available exclusively on the Samsung website). Availability is announced for March 11th. Suggested retail prices: • €180 for the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 • €250 for the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro Key features of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4/Buds 4 Pro: • Type: In-ear • Speakers: 11mm dynamic drivers • Connectivity: Bluetooth 6.1, Auracast • Supported Bluetooth profiles: A2DP/AVRCP/HFP/HSP • Codecs: SBC, AAC, SSC (Samsung Seamless Codec) • NFC: No • Features: 360 Audio (from Galaxy smartphones or Galaxy Tab tablets), Auto-Switch, Ambient Mode • Spatial Audio compatibility: Yes • Active noise cancellation: Yes (3 microphones per earbud) • Voice assistants: Google Assistant and Bixby • Galaxy Buds 4 battery life: Reduced Active Noise Cancellation off: 6 hours (continuous connection including playback), 24 hours with the charging case and its integrated battery; Active Noise Cancellation on: 5 hours (continuous connection including playback), 20 hours with the charging case and its integrated battery; • Galaxy Buds 4 Pro battery life: Active Noise Cancellation off: 8 hours (continuous connection including playback), 30 hours with the charging case and its integrated battery; Active Noise Cancellation on: 6 hours (continuous connection including playback), 26 hours with the charging case and its integrated battery; • Charging time: 60 minutes of listening time for 5 minutes of charging; • Weight: 9.2g per earbud, 45g for the charging case for the Galaxy Buds 4; 6.3g per earbud, 50g for the charging case for the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro