As you would expect, Samsung is working on the successor to the Galaxy Buds. We've found evidence of a device with model number SM-R175 that Samsung is currently developing. The Galaxy Buds have model number SM-R170; if we put two and two together, we can only surmise that the Galaxy Buds 2 — or Galaxy Buds (2020), or whatever Samsung decides to call them — are on their way.
Four colors, 8GB of onboard storage that may not actually be usable
Color options for the new Galaxy Buds, which we will call Galaxy Buds 2 for the time being, include black, white, blue, and pink. The Galaxy Buds are available in black, white, silver, and yellow, with the silver version having the same paint job as the Aura Glow Galaxy Note 10. Samsung looks to be mixing things up for the second-generation Buds by replacing yellow with pink and silver with blue, although the color options may change at a later time as we move closer to the earbuds' actual launch.
We can also see that the Galaxy Buds 2 are being developed with 8GB of storage, but we're not sure the earbuds will actually have any onboard storage. The Galaxy Buds were also in development with 8GB of storage but ultimately didn't ship with any, suggesting Samsung is not willing to let its wireless earbuds be used in a standalone manner anymore, perhaps because it expects consumers to buy into its ecosystem and use the Buds with either a Galaxy smartphone or a smartwatch, both of which do let you store media locally.
Galaxy Buds 2 features: Can we expect active noise cancellation?
The Galaxy Buds are pretty amazing for the price. They are extremely comfortable to wear, and they have solid sound quality as well. Can we expect active noise cancellation to be one of the highlights of the Galaxy Buds 2? Apple's latest AirPods (the AirPods Pro) have active noise cancellation built-in, and while they cost twice as much as the Galaxy Buds, active noise cancellation may be one of few new features Samsung could use to market the Galaxy Buds 2 to consumers.
Galaxy Buds 2 will probably launch alongside the Galaxy S11
The Galaxy Buds were launched alongside the Galaxy S10 series in February this year, and we can only assume the Buds 2 will make their official appearance at the Galaxy S11 launch. Of course, that's assuming Samsung doesn't follow the same timeline as it did for the Galaxy Watch Active 2, which came out just six months after its predecessor. With development having only recently started on the Galaxy Buds 2, a launch next year is more likely, but nothing can be said for certain at this time.
What kind of features and improvements would you like to see on the Galaxy Buds 2?
