The next meaningful Galaxy Buds upgrade will not be about better bass or longer battery life.
Price: $218.45
Where to Buy: Amazon
Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Galaxy Buds4 Pro will gain an FDA-cleared Hearing Aid feature that lets the compatible earbuds serve as an over-the-counter hearing aid in the fourth quarter of 2026. The features are scheduled to arrive in the U.S. and select approved markets, turning Samsung’s flagship earbuds into a more serious option for people seeking everyday hearing support.
There is a catch worth noting before checkout.
The feature is limited to those two Pro models and requires a compatible Galaxy device running One UI 8 or later. It is not a universal Galaxy Buds upgrade: older Pro models, standard Buds, and non-Galaxy phones should not be assumed to qualify.
What the feature is intended to do
Samsung is aiming the feature at adults who believe they have mild to moderate hearing difficulty. The feature can build a personalized amplification profile around the sounds that are harder to hear, including high frequencies, surrounding whispers and distant voices. Samsung also lists noise elimination and beamforming to help prioritize the person in front of you.
Hearing Test handles the setup. It is a self-administered five-minute test for each ear, built directly into the Galaxy Buds settings. Its results are used to tailor amplification to the listener.
There is a firm boundary here: Hearing Test does not diagnose hearing loss, and this is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Sudden changes, severe symptoms, or concern about an underlying condition call for professional help.
Why this is different from ambient sound
Transparency mode lets you hear more of the world around you. That is useful, but it is not the same thing.
Samsung is positioning this as a hearing-support mode operating under FDA-cleared OTC-hearing-aid parameters. built around an individual hearing profile, rather than a generic volume boost. It describes the fitting approach as NAL-NL2 and says Hearing Test can produce an audiogram comparable to an audiologist evaluation. Those performance details come from Samsung and have not been independently tested by The Gadgeteer.
Price: $249.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
For current owners, the decision is easy. Galaxy Buds3 Pro or Galaxy Buds4 Pro plus a compatible, updated Galaxy device meets the stated eligibility requirements for the planned Q4 release. If hearing support is the reason you are shopping, confirm the exact earbuds, software, and market before you buy.
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