Samsung's Upcoming Galaxy Buds Pro Copy Apple's 'Spatial Audio' Feature

Samsung is gearing up to launch new Galaxy Buds Pro earbuds, which are likely set to debut in January alongside the new Galaxy S21 smartphones. The new headphones have a feature that's quite similar to the Spatial Audio function available in the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro.

galaxy buds pro 3d audio
Though the earbuds aren't coming out for a few weeks, we already know what to expect because Samsung accidentally leaked them in the Galaxy Wearable app, and 9to5Google shared details on the feature set.

The earbuds look similar to the original Galaxy Buds and have much of the same feature set, but there's a new "3D audio for videos" function that sounds a lot like the Spatial Audio option that Apple brought to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ and then the ‌AirPods Max‌.

galaxy buds pro
Spatial Audio is designed to provide a theater-like surround sound listening experience on iPhone and iPad using dynamic head tracking capabilities that make it seem like sound is coming from all around you.

Samsung's "3d audio for videos" feature describes a similar experience. "Hear vivid, immersive sound coming from all directions so you feel like you're right in the scene when you watch videos," reads a toggle for the feature. "To get the best experience, keep your earbuds near your phone."

The Galaxy Buds Pro also feature an equalizer with multiple presets, customizable touch controls, and a Find My Earbuds option. A new Voice Detect feature listens for when a person is speaking and lowers the volume of media, and there's an Ambient Sound option for noise cancellation that lets in outside sound much like Transparency mode on the ‌AirPods Pro‌.

We'll see the official unveiling of the Galaxy Buds Pro in January, and while pricing has not yet been announced, they'll likely be priced similarly to the ‌AirPods Pro‌. 9to5Google speculates that they could be priced at around $200, $50 more expensive than the Galaxy Buds+.

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
44 months ago
Some are correctly pointing out that Apple didn't invent this feature.

The issue isn't who invented it; it's that Samsung is introducing this feature soon after Apple.

If this tech is really that old, doesn't that only make it funnier that Samsung waited until Apple implemented it before doing it themselves?
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LegCortex Avatar
44 months ago
I think “copy” might be a strong word in this instance. Samsung is shameless, but virtual positional three-dimensional audio has been around for a while.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QSound
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KidAKidB Avatar
44 months ago

They’ve got no shame
Oh come on, so because Apple put ANC in the AirPods Pro should we not say that they copied other headphones that previously had it? Get a grip.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zeezun Avatar
44 months ago
oh apple innovated spatial audio. I never knew
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J___o___h___n Avatar
44 months ago
They’ve got no shame
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
confess_jason Avatar
44 months ago
Samsung would have implemented this feature without Apple having done it first. Samsung isn't sitting around waiting to see what its competitors do first.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro FineWoven

Apple Reportedly Stops Production of FineWoven Accessories

Sunday April 21, 2024 6:03 am PDT by
Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories, according to the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami." In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kosutami explained that Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories due to its poor durability. The company may move to another non-leather material for its premium accessories in the future. Kosutami has revealed...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces 'Let Loose' Event on May 7 Amid Rumors of New iPads

Tuesday April 23, 2024 7:11 am PDT by
Apple has announced it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual. The event invitation has a tagline of "Let Loose" and shows an artistic render of an Apple Pencil, suggesting that iPads will be a focus of the event. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
Apple Vision Pro Dual Loop Band Orange Feature 2

Apple Cuts Vision Pro Shipments as Demand Falls 'Sharply Beyond Expectations'

Tuesday April 23, 2024 9:44 am PDT by
Apple has dropped the number of Vision Pro units that it plans to ship in 2024, going from an expected 700 to 800k units to just 400k to 450k units, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Orders have been scaled back before the Vision Pro has launched in markets outside of the United States, which Kuo says is a sign that demand in the U.S. has "fallen sharply beyond expectations." As a...
iOS 17 All New Features Thumb

iOS 17.5 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday April 21, 2024 3:00 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 17.5 update for the iPhone includes only a few new user-facing features, but hidden code changes reveal some additional possibilities. Below, we have recapped everything new in the iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 beta so far. Web Distribution Starting with the second beta of iOS 17.5, eligible developers are able to distribute their iOS apps to iPhone users located in the EU...
iPad And Calculator App Feature

Apple Finally Plans to Release a Calculator App for iPad Later This Year

Tuesday April 23, 2024 9:08 am PDT by
Apple is finally planning a Calculator app for the iPad, over 14 years after launching the device, according to a source familiar with the matter. iPadOS 18 will include a built-in Calculator app for all iPad models that are compatible with the software update, which is expected to be unveiled during the opening keynote of Apple's annual developers conference WWDC on June 10. The lack of ...
Provenance Emulator

PlayStation and SEGA Emulator for iPhone and Apple TV Coming to App Store [Updated]

Friday April 19, 2024 8:29 am PDT by
The lead developer of the multi-emulator app Provenance has told iMore that his team is working towards releasing the app on the App Store, but he did not provide a timeframe. Provenance is a frontend for many existing emulators, and it would allow iPhone and Apple TV users to emulate games released for a wide variety of classic game consoles, including the original PlayStation, SEGA Genesis,...