Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro leak with Apple-like Spatial 3D Audio and ANC
The new Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro have leaked, with a deep-dive into a prematurely-discovered app revealing features of the earbuds. Expected to launch alongside the Galaxy S21 family of Android smartphones early in the new year, the Galaxy Buds Pro will include active noise cancellation along with a 3D audio feature.
Samsung's range of bean-like earbuds has been growing steadily over the past couple of years, and like Apple's AirPods line-up have been adding new features along the way. Earlier this year, the Galaxy Buds Live introduced a new design along with active noise cancellation for the first time, though balancing that with the promise of ventilated all-day wearability.
For 2021, it looks like, the new flagship is to be the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. Spotted by reddit user gamer0mega and GitHub user ThePBone, pre-release APK files already uploaded to Samsung's servers spilled not only the design of the new earbuds but much of their functionality too. That includes features which seem designed to take on not only Apple's AirPods Pro, but the new AirPods Max headphones as well.
The 'buds themselves are a nod back to earlier Galaxy Buds designs, less organic than the Galaxy Buds Live. It looks like they'll be offered in three finishes – metallic black, silver, and blue – with matching satin-finish cases. There'll be touch-sensitive controls on the outer edges, which can be independently configured for the left and right buds.
Active noise canceling will be present, along with the ability to pipe through some degree of ambient sound. A voice detect feature will automatically switch to the ambient mode and lower your media playback volume when your voice is detected. It will automatically switch off after 5, 10, or 15 seconds, or if you tap an earbud.
Individual adjustment for the left and right earbuds is new, too, allowing wearers to tune the balance according to their own hearing.
Perhaps most interesting, however, is the Spatial 3D Audio processing. That appears to be something in the manner of the new AirPods Max's Spatial Audio, where head tracking is used to keep the sound space of content stable as you turn your head within in. In Samsung's case, it seems that will work with Dolby Atmos audio and you'll need to be playing it on an Android 11 Samsung device with OneUI.
The expectation is that Samsung will officially announce the Galaxy Buds Pro alongside its upcoming Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Ultra family of smartphones. Leaks have pegged those as having features borrowed from the Galaxy Note line-up, such as S Pen stylus support, as well as a new industrial design language that streamlines the camera assemblies.