Samsung's Galaxy Buds have made a remarkable impact in the thriving wireless earbud market. These wireless earbuds stand out with their advanced and comfortable design, offering a seamless integration with Samsung devices. This feature-packed and user-friendly audio solution appeals to a wide range of customers, although the history of Galaxy Buds is not long.
From their sleek debut in 2019 to their ever-evolving features, Galaxy Buds have consistently aimed to deliver a seamless and immersive audio experience. Let's take a trip down memory lane and explore the key milestones in the history of Galaxy Buds.
1. 2019: A Year of Buds (Galaxy Buds)
In February 2019, Samsung unveiled the first iteration of Galaxy Buds. These compact, glossy earbuds prioritized portability and convenience. Featuring a comfortable fit with wingtips for active use and sound clarity tuned by AKG acoustics, they offered a solid foundation for future generations.
2. 2020: Extended Playtime (Galaxy Buds+)
Building on the success of the originals, the Galaxy Buds+ arrived in early 2020. While retaining a similar design, they doubled the battery life, making them a perfect companion for extended listening sessions. This focus on extended playtime cemented the Galaxy Buds as a reliable option for on-the-go users.
Galaxy Buds+ is also the first wireless earbuds with a 2-way speaker in the history of Galaxy Buds.
3. 2020: Breaking the Mold (Galaxy Buds Live)
Later in 2020, Samsung took a bold step with the Galaxy Buds Live. These unique earbuds, often referred to as “bean-shaped,” departed from the traditional ear canal design. This innovative approach aimed for a comfortable fit that rested outside the ear canal while still incorporating Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) – a first for the Galaxy Buds line.
Galaxy Buds Live is the first wireless Buds with an open-ear design in the history of Galaxy Buds. Galaxy Buds 3 is its successor.
4. 2021: Diversification and Innovation (Galaxy Buds Pro & Galaxy Buds2)
The year 2021 saw a significant leap in Galaxy Buds technology and strategic diversification within the lineup.
Galaxy Buds Pro
Launched in early 2021, the Galaxy Buds Pro marked a significant step forward.
They were the first Galaxy Buds with intelligent ANC, allowing users to truly immerse themselves in their audio. Additionally, the Galaxy Buds Pro boasted an improved design with a more secure fit, head-tracking technology, and premium sound quality.
Galaxy Buds Pro is also the first Galaxy Buds with an IPX7 rating for water protection.
Galaxy Buds 2
Released later in 2021, the Galaxy Buds 2 offered a more user-friendly option. These were the smallest and lightest in the series, catering to those who preferred a more compact design. Despite their size, they packed a punch with ANC, clear call quality, and dynamic speakers.
Auto Switch (with Samsung devices) was also debuted on Galaxy Buds 2.
Please note none of the Galaxy Buds support Bluetooth multipoint up to now.
6. 2022: Refining (Galaxy Buds 2 Pro)
Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offered the most immersive sound experience in the Galaxy Buds series up to 2024, featuring High-Dynamic Range and wireless 24-bit high fidelity (Hi-Fi) audio with Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC).
Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is also the first Galaxy Buds with 360 Audio recording.
7. 2023: A Budget-Friendly Choice (Galaxy Buds FE)
In 2023, Samsung released the Galaxy Buds FE, a budget-friendly option within the Galaxy Buds line. While lacking some of the high-end features of the Buds Pro or Buds 2, they still offered decent sound quality, ANC, and a comfortable fit.
8. 2024: A New Chapter Begins (Galaxy Buds 3 & Galaxy Buds 3 Pro)
On July 10, 2024, Samsung unveiled the new Galaxy Buds with a radically new stemmed design.
Galaxy Buds 3
Galaxy Buds 3 serves two purposes:
- A baseline of the third generation of Galaxy Buds. The stem is the design signature of this generation.
- A successor to Galaxy Buds Live. The open-ear design offers an updating path for Galaxy Buds Liver users.
Samsung ditched the traditional in-ear design and the bean-shaped design of Galaxy Buds Live in favor of a sleeker, AirPods-like stem design.
Galaxy Buds 3 is packed with tons of new features, such as stem control, Interpreter, Super Wide Band call, 24-bit/96kHz Samsung Seamless Codec, voice command, LE audio (Auracast) support, adaptive ANC, adaptive EQ, and the IP 57 rating.
Galaxy Buds3 Pro
Existing alongside the Buds 3, the Buds 3 Pro caters to users seeking the most premium experience. They boast many premium features, including high-fidelity audio (24-bit/96KHz Samsung Seamless Codec) and adaptive ANC. It is the flagship Galaxy Buds in 2024 and 2025 to compete against AirPods 2 Pro and AirPods 3 and Sony WF-1000XM5 (and now WF-1000XM6).
You may check this guide for a comparison of Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
![SAMSUNG Galaxy Buds 3 AI True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, Open Type Fit, Active Noise Cancellation, 360 Audio, Touch Control, Silver [US Version, Amazon Exclusive, 2Yr Warranty]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/317mIBCIEyL._SL160_.jpg)
![Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro AI True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, Noise Cancelling, Sound Optimization, Redesigned Comfort Fit, Silver [US Version, Amazon Exclusive, 2Yr Warranty]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41lJzPsRHjL._SL160_.jpg)
9. 2026: Revamped Design and Tighter Galaxy Ecosystem Integration (Galaxy Buds4 & Galaxy Buds 4 Pro)
With the release of the Galaxy S26 series in February 2026, Samsung signaled a definitive shift to a new design and deeper integration with Galaxy ecosystem.
The blurred lines between the base and “Pro” models was eliminated in Galaxy Buds 4 series. Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro differ significantly in both physical design and acoustic philosophy.
![Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 (2026) AI True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds + $20 Gift Card, Noise Cancelling, Hi-Res Audio, 1-Way Speaker, New Fit, IP54, Live Translation, Black [US Version, 2 Yr Warranty]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31lBrdEkiML._SL160_.jpg)
Galaxy Buds 4
Galaxy Buds 4 is the second open-ear buds from Samsung (Galaxy Buds Live is the first. Blade design is the new signature for both Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.
Bluetooth 6.1 support and deeper integration with Galaxy AI and Galaxy devices are also introduced in this iteration.
Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
Although Galaxy Buds 4 Pro adopts a similar balde design, it is a sealed (ear canal fit) earbud with adaptive ANC 2.0.
The next Galaxy Buds
Very likely, we will see a new generation of Galaxy Buds in 2027/2028.
A complete list of Galaxy Buds models
Here is the list of all Galaxy Buds released.
| Model | Announcement date | Unique Feature |
| Galaxy Buds | March 9, 2019 | First release |
| Galaxy Buds+ | February 14, 2020 | First Galaxy Buds with a 2-way speaker |
| Galaxy Buds Live | August 6, 2020 | First Galaxy Buds with bean-shaped open-ear design First Galaxy Buds with ANC |
| Galaxy Buds Pro | January 14, 2021 | First mainstream Galaxy Buds with intelligent ANC First Galaxy Buds with IPX7 rating |
| Galaxy Buds 2 | August 27, 2021 | First Galaxy Buds with Auto Switch |
| Galaxy Buds 2 Pro | August 26, 2022 | First Galaxy Buds with 360 Audio recording First Galaxy Buds with 24-bit/48KHz Samsung Seamless Codec support |
| Galaxy Buds FE (Fan Edition) | October 5, 2023 | First FE edition of Galaxy Buds |
| Galaxy Bud 3 | July 10, 2024 | First Galaxy Buds with stem First Galaxy Buds with stem control First Galaxy Buds with Super Wide Band call support First Galaxy Buds with 24-bit/96KHz Samsung Seamless Codec support |
| Galaxy Buds 3 Pro | July 10, 2024 | First Galaxy Buds with blade light |
| Galaxy Buds 4 | February 25, 2026 | Second open-ear earbuds from Samsung. First wireless earbuds with Bluetooth 6.1 support. Always-on AI. |
| Galaxy Buds 4 Pro | February 25, 2026 | Adaptive ANC 2.0 |
Do you have any questions about the history of Galaxy Buds?
Please let us know in the comment box if you have any questions or want share your thoughts on the history of Galaxy Buds.
You may check Headphone 101 for detailed explanations of headphone technologies and terms.
For Bluetooth headphone guides, please check the Bluetooth headphones section.
The sports headphones section is dedicated to guides on sports headphones.
You may also reach us through our Facebook page.
Anonymous
The best summary of the evolution of Galaxy Buds.