SEOUL, April 22, 2026, 01:40 (KST)
Samsung Electronics’ unannounced Galaxy Buds Able have surfaced in a leaked firmware icon showing a clip-on, open-ear design, a shift that would move the Galaxy Buds line beyond its familiar in-ear and stem-style formats. SammyGuru said it found the image inside recent One UI firmware.
The leak lands less than two months after Samsung began selling its Galaxy Buds4 series, giving the company little time before attention turns to a possible new audio category. Open-ear earbuds do not seal the ear canal, a design aimed at users who want music or calls while still hearing traffic, colleagues or announcements.
SamMobile said references in the Galaxy Wearable app and the model number SM-U600 point to the Galaxy Buds Able name. It said the icon appeared in One UI 9 and showed a clip-on hook design with a grille that may cover a microphone.
The same report added a catch: its sources said the product has been delayed several times and is not expected at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event in July 2026. That makes the leak more a sign of direction than a launch signal.
The design looks closer to an open-ear clip than to the Galaxy Buds4 Pro, which Samsung markets around active noise cancellation, or ANC, a feature that uses microphones and software to reduce outside noise. 9to5Google said the leaked shape is unlike current Galaxy Buds models and may suggest Samsung has moved away from earlier talk of a bone-conduction product.
Bone conduction sends vibrations through the cheekbones toward the inner ear instead of mainly pushing sound through air. PhoneArena said SammyGuru’s leak pointed to bone conduction, but added that the icon’s design would more likely rely on traditional speaker drivers if it reflects the final hardware.
The Able trail began earlier this month. Android Authority reported on April 1 that “Galaxy Buds Able” appeared in Samsung’s Galaxy Buds app alongside Buds4 and Buds4 Pro, though the SM-U600 model number did not match Samsung’s usual SM-R numbering for earbuds. Android Authority
Two days later, Android Authority reported that a battery unit with the model number EB-BU600AAY had appeared in the Bureau of Indian Standards database. That did not confirm specifications, but it added a hardware clue to what had been mostly software evidence.
Samsung’s official audio line remains Buds4. In February, the company said Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro would go on general sale from March 11, and Ikhyun Cho, corporate vice president of Samsung’s Mobile eXperience business, said the range was built for “all-day comfort without sacrificing audio performance.” Samsung Global Newsroom
That leaves room for Able to sit apart from the main Buds line if it ships. Samsung’s U.S. store lists Galaxy Buds4 at $179.99 and Galaxy Buds4 Pro at $249.99, giving the company pricing space below or near premium open-ear rivals.
The rivals are already in market. Bose sells Ultra Open Earbuds with a cuff-like fit and $299 price, while Sony said in January that its LinkBuds Clip use an always-on clip design that lets users hear surroundings and music at the same time.
The risk is simple: firmware icons do not equal finished products. Stuff reported that there is still no official release date or price for Galaxy Buds Able, and Samsung has not announced the device. The name could change, the hardware could change, or the product could miss the next launch window entirely.
