Rumors about Samsung’s clip-on Galaxy Buds Able have been floating around for months, with many speculating the company would launch the new earbuds alongside its latest foldables. But that didn’t happen. Samsung’s July Unpacked event came and went without a single mention of the clip-on earbuds, but a new leak suggests they’re still in the works and offers the clearest look yet at their design.
What the images reveal
The new design first surfaced back in April, when leaked icons from One UI firmware pointed to an earclip-style shape instead of Samsung’s usual in-ear form factor. The following month, a report added more detail, describing clip-type, open-ear earbuds that would hook onto the outer ear.
Renders of the so-called Galaxy Buds Able or Galaxy Buds On have now surfaced in a Samsung app (via SamMobile), revealing that the earbuds may feature a curved clip that wraps around the outer ear, connecting a rounded module near the ear canal to a flatter disc-shaped piece that rests behind the ear to help hold everything in place. The renders also show a matching case with a front LED indicator.
The design suggests the Galaxy Buds On may rely on open wireless stereo technology, similar to Motorola’s Moto Buds Loop, Huawei’s FreeClip, and Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds, which use standard drivers positioned just outside the ear canal.
Samsung still hasn’t confirmed anything
Samsung has maintained radio silence on the Buds On or Buds Able so far, and there’s still no word on specs, pricing, or a release timeline. A separate leak suggests the earbuds could arrive sometime in the fourth quarter, so more details are likely to surface in the coming weeks.
If the leak holds, Samsung would finally step into an increasingly crowded category, joining Motorola, Huawei, Bose, and several others in betting that some buyers prefer awareness over isolation.
