Samsung unveils Galaxy Buds+ with 2-way speakers, better battery life

Alongside the Galaxy S20 flagships, Samsung is unveiling its second iteration of true wireless headset – the Samsung Galaxy Buds+. And while these go hand-in-hand with the new Galaxy S20 flagships (in fact, the Buds+ are the pre-order bonus for the S20 phones), the new “Galaxy Buds+” app is compatible with any Android or iOS device.

The audio experience received an upgrade with 2-way speakers (woofer + tweeter). These are tuned by AKG, naturally.

There are three microphones on board, even if the new buds do not support active noise cancellation. They do feature ambient pass-through, though, so you can maintain situational awareness as you listen.

The individual buds have larger batteries (85mAh, up from 58mAh on the old model). The battery inside the case is only slightly larger. You can expect 11 hours of playback from just the buds, twice that if you pop them in the case every once in a while. Then you use Qi wireless charging (for example, from your Galaxy S20 phone) or a USB-C cable to top up the battery.

The Buds+ will be available in Black, White, Blue and Red. They come with two pairs of rubber tips, so you can pick the size that fits your ears best.

If you don’t plan on pre-ordering a Galaxy S20 phone, you can order the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ from February 14. They cost $150 in the US and €170 in Europe (a $20/€20 price bump over the original Buds).