Exclusive: New Galaxy Buds On/Able images reveal Samsung's clip-on earbud design

Samsung appears to be getting closer to launching a new type of wireless earbuds, tentatively called the Galaxy Buds On or Galaxy Buds Able. We can exclusively share a bunch of illustrative images showing the upcoming earbuds and their charging case.

The illustrations come from a Samsung app and show the Galaxy Buds On/Able individually and as a pair, along with a charging case with an LED status indicator on the front.

Each earbud has a rounded module at one end and a flatter, disc-shaped module at the other. The two are connected by a curved arm that appears to be designed to wrap around the outer ear.

The rounded module has an accent on part of its outer edge, and the flatter module has a complete accent ring around it. The rounded section would likely sit near the ear canal, while the flatter section would rest behind the ear and help hold the earbud in place.

Earlier rumors suggested Samsung’s new earbuds could rely on bone-conduction technology. However, these illustrations suggest that these are open-ear air-conduction earbuds, also known as Open Wireless Stereo (OWS) earbuds.

Instead of transmitting sound through the skull like traditional bone-conduction headphones, OWS earbuds use conventional speaker drivers that sit just outside the ear canal and direct sound waves toward it. This keeps the ear canal open, allowing users to hear both their audio and surrounding sounds.

Several manufacturers offer wireless earbuds with similar design, including the Motorola Moto Buds Loop, Huawei FreeClip, and Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.

Samsung has yet to officially announce the Galaxy Buds On/Able or confirm the audio technology they use. While these images suggest an open-ear clip-on design, we'll have to wait for the official unveiling — possibly taking place alongside the Galaxy S26 FE later this year — to learn the complete specifications.