Samsung’s wearable design division seems to have decided that subtlety is overrated and that functionality is what they’ll focus on for the next iteration of their flagship earbuds. But in doing so, the Galaxy Buds 4 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro might look awfully similar to their biggest competitors: Apple’s AirPods.
Fresh renders of Samsung’s upcoming TWS earbuds (via Android Headlines) are giving AirPods users a brief moment of déjà vu. Both the Galaxy Buds 4 (black) and Buds 4 Pro (white) have a very familiar design.
A new yet familiar design language
I’m talking about a long stem that hangs outside the ear, housing the charging points on the inner side and microphones at the bottom, a bulbous driver and chip housing, and the open earbud design on the Buds 4 or the silicon eartips on the Buds 4 Pro (for better noise isolation); all of these are very familiar design cues.
There are a couple of Samsung-specific twists as well. For instance, both the Buds 4 earbuds rest horizontally inside their charging case, giving the case a wider, flatter layout. Furthermore, the cases feature what looks like a frosted, translucent lid, something that Apple won’t dare to try.
Positioning against Apple’s Pro lineup
Compared to the Galaxy Buds 3 and the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, the Buds 4 series is a dramatic visual pivot.
Clearly, the regular Galaxy Buds 4 are designed (and should be positioned) to compete with the AirPods 4, while the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro should take on the AirPods Pro 3, which offers the best-in-class noise cancellation.
Anyway, Samsung’s next-generation flagship earbuds should debut alongside the Galaxy S26 series at the rumored Galaxy Unpacked event on February 25, 2026.