Leak shows Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds+ could be an Apple Airpods rival

It certainly looks like Samsung is getting ready to launch an upgraded set of Galaxy Buds designed to be more appealing to iPhone owners.

The company plans to show off its Galaxy Buds+, a higher-end version of the wireless earbuds it launched last year, according to a spec sheet first posted by leaker Evan Blass. 

The new $149 buds will have better sound and battery life, and will have an accompanying iPhone app, according to details on the spec sheet.

The Galaxy Buds+ also look like they will bring significant improvements over their $129 predecessors. The earbuds will have almost double the battery life, with 11 hours for the buds plus an additional 11 hours from the charging case, compared with six hours for the standard Galaxy Buds and 7 hours for its charging case. 

And while it looks like the Galaxy Buds+ will lack the active noise cancellation of AirPods Pro, Samsung’s new buds will be equipped with upgraded speakers and an additional microphone, which should improve their sound overall. 

Also of note: The Galaxy Buds+ will be available in the standard black and white colors, with blue and red as options, too. They’ll also work with an accompanying iPhone app. Combine all of that with the $149 price tag, and the new Galaxy Buds+ could be a more viable competitor to Apple’s pricier AirPods. 

While the original Galaxy Buds will work with iPhones, the lack of a corresponding iOS app limits iPhone users’ ability to access certain features, such as customizing the touchpad controls or monitoring battery life. 

Samsung will likely show off the new Galaxy Buds+ at its upcoming Unpacked event, where it’s also expected to reveal three versions of its new Galaxy S20, and a new foldable phone, the Z Flip.