Next-gen Samsung Galaxy Buds leak with unique bean earbud design

A new leak suggests that the next generation of Samsung's Galaxy Buds truly wireless earbuds may feature a unique 'bean' shape that offers a snug fit without the discomfort of in-ear designs. The 'bean' Galaxy Buds would measure just under 1-inch in length, the new leak claims, with the design nestling the body of each earpiece into the natural curvature of the ear.READ: Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Review

The Galaxy Buds are Samsung's alternative to Apple's AirPods. Whereas Apple went with a design similar to EarPods with stems instead of cables, Samsung has utilized a more traditional design. The current general of Galaxy Buds features an in-ear design, which is more effective at sealing out ambient noises, but at the expense of long-term comfort for many users.

According to German website WinFuture, Samsung may utilize a new 'bean' design for its next-generation earbuds that scrap the in-ear design, instead featuring a more subtle earpiece that projects the audio into the ear from the outer canal without the deep silicone seal that may cause ear canal discomfort after more than an hour or two.

The earpiece would slide down into the ear's natural curvature, the result being a slight protrusion up the ear rather than a larger rounded body protruding outward or a stem sticking out downward. The potential downside of this design, of course, is a lack of adequate sealing, meaning more ambient noise may get into the ear compared to a deeper in-ear earbud design.

Samsung has reportedly codenamed these earbuds as 'Bean,' which is no doubt a reference to the kidney bean-shaped design. The earbuds are shown with contacts for wirelessly charging each earpiece in a battery case. The earpieces reportedly also feature built-in microphones for taking calls and likely for a hear-through feature that allows in ambient noise for convenience and safety reasons.

Sources behind the leak claim the earbuds feature two loudspeakers for improved audio quality, as well as an external channel. The model is also said to feature sensors that detect when the earpieces are in the ear, which would mean that the model would likely support auto-play and auto-pause functionality triggered by putting in or removing an earpiece.

At this point in time, the sources allege that the new Galaxy Buds are in the first phase of validation testing with the development phase having mostly been completed. Other details, such as battery life, weren't provided. It is possible we could see this model arrive at the same time as the Galaxy Note 20, but that remains to be seen.