New leaks have surfaced, this time based on One UI 8.5 code . We have leaked images and animations; the upcoming Galaxy Buds 4 Pro will feature a new design, a larger battery, and head gesture controls , along with improvements to noise cancellation and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity.
What will the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro offer?
The clues come from the same place where everything at Samsung has been brewing lately: leaked builds of One UI 8.5 , which contain internal references to the new earbuds, codenamed “Handel” for the Buds 4 and “Bach” for the Buds 4 Pro. Android Police describes a model clearly aimed at the high-end market , with:
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Active noise cancellation (ANC) and enhanced ambient sound mode.
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Bluetooth 5.4 , ready for LE Audio and more efficient energy use.
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Three microphones with “Voice Pickup” per earpiece to improve calls.
This would all fit with a launch alongside the Galaxy S26 family at the first Unpacked event of 2026, repeating the strategy of presenting the flagship phone and headphones simultaneously. There’s no better companion for our new smartphone than a good pair of headphones to ensure we don’t miss a thing.
More battery life and a finally practical case
One of the most welcome changes isn’t in the earbuds themselves, but in the case—the often-forgotten case. Let’s take a look at the new features of the case:
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The battery in the case would increase to around 530 mAh , compared to 515 mAh in the previous generation, a small jump that, added to Bluetooth 5.4, should translate into more real hours of use .
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The case would change from a vertical format (Buds 3 Pro) to a horizontal one , more like the Buds 2 Pro… and yes, more convenient to open without having to juggle.
In addition, a physical button next to the USB-C port is mentioned to make the paired mobile phone ring, and according to SamMobile, there’s even a small speaker in the box itself so you can find it when you lose it around the house.
The big “science fiction” novelty is Head Gestures : the Buds 4 Pro will use accelerometers and gyroscopes to interpret a nod or shake of the head as commands.
What can we do just by moving our heads?
According to the leaked code strings, these gestures will serve the following functions:
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Respond yes or no to the assistant (Bixby or Galaxy AI).
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Accept or reject calls without touching the headphones.
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Silence alarms, reminders, or timers .
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Ask your phone to read notifications aloud… or to stop doing so.
In addition to this, there are already known but better-tuned features:
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360 Audio for spatial sound.
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Adaptive Noise Control , which adjusts noise cancellation and ambient mode according to the environment.
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Phone finder and quick pairing with the Galaxy ecosystem.
In practice, Samsung wants us to touch our phones less and talk (or move our heads) more with our headphones. This way, our headphones become an extension of our smartphone.
Samsung abandons AirPods and opts for its own identity
With the Galaxy Buds 3, Samsung got so close to the AirPods design that many called them «AirBuds» because of their striking resemblance. Now, a leak suggests that the Buds 4 Pro are changing course .
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They maintain the temple format , but now with a flatter and more curved stem , not triangular.
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The striking Blade Light disappears , the LED bar that ran along the temple of the Buds 3 Pro and which we still don’t see the use for.
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The use of silicone pads is reinforced to improve passive sealing and ANC effectiveness.
It’s a design that’s less about «look at the lights I have» and more focused on being comfortable, discreet, and functional . Something that fits better with headphones that aim to be worn all day, not just to attract attention on the subway.
All of this comes at a time when Samsung is reinforcing its ecosystem strategy with the Galaxy S26, Galaxy Book, and One UI 8.5 . The Buds 4 Pro fit in as the premium audio piece of that puzzle.
And not just on mobile: the rise of Bluetooth LE Audio and features like Windows 11’s Audio Sharing , which allows you to send sound to two LE headsets at the same time, point to a future where sharing a series or a call from your laptop will be much more natural.
Here Samsung has the opportunity to make its Buds the ideal companions for a Galaxy Book or any PC with LE Audio , something we have already seen work very well in headphones from other manufacturers.
Will they be enough to compete with the AirPods Pro?
On paper, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro sound like a clear improvement over the Buds 3 Pro : more battery life, a better charging case, smart gestures, and a more polished design. But the real battle isn’t just with their predecessors, but with the AirPods Pro and the rest of the high-end range .
If Samsung wants these Buds 4 Pro to be more than just «the expensive accessory for the S26,» it will have to fine-tune the price and the software experience : a stable app, frequent updates, and real integration with Galaxy AI features.
