What you need to know
- Samsung introduced its next iteration of wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds FE.
- The earbuds sport longer battery lives, two new wingtip sizes for ergonomics, and an array of other features.
- The tech giant also unveiled other members of the latest FE lineup, including the Galaxy S23 FE, the Tab S9 FE and the Tap S9 Plus FE.
This year’s Techtober — aptly named because of the number of new devices entering the market in October — is already proving to be a busy one with the upcoming launch of Google’s Pixel 8 series. However, Samsung also announced a slew of new devices, including unveiled the next iteration of its affordable wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds Fan Edition.
Considered a successor of Samsung’s Galaxy Buds, the Galaxy Buds FE are proving to be a welcome addition to the company’s repertoire of audio wearables, as they sport three mics on each earbud and a new one-way speaker, boasting an immersive audio quality, fueled by Active Noise Cancellation and Ambient Sound.
Among its offerings, the Galaxy Buds FE include Bluetooth 5.2, Auto Switch, and SmartThings Find connectivity, as well as IPX2 water resistance. They’re also compatible with Android (via the Galaxy Wearable App), iOS (Bluetooth only), Windows (through the Galaxy Buds App), and 2022 model Samsung TVs or later.
Despite the slew of new features, what is perhaps most noteworthy about the Galaxy Buds FE is its long battery life, with Samsung qualifying as “the longest battery life in the Bud series.” The earbuds are purported to provide up to 8.5 hours of playback from the earbuds, totaling 30 hours when the case and earbuds are charged at 100 percent.
If you opt for ANC, you'll get six hours of playback and 21 hours with the case.
Further, the wireless earbuds also incorporate an ergonomic design, sporting three sizes of ear tips and two sizes of wingtips, similar to the ones found on the Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Buds Pro, which keeps them comfortably stable in the ears.
The earbuds come in two colorways, graphite and white — both with corresponding charging cases of matching colors, and which seem to adorn the same shape and size as what you get with Galaxy Buds.
Samsung notes that the new earbuds, priced at $99, are available through “select carriers” on October 5 and then via the brand’s website starting on October 10.
In addition to the Galaxy Buds FE, Samsung also opted to debut other members of its FE lineup, including the Galaxy S23 FE and the Galaxy Tab S9 FE series. It may not be the most ideal time to introduce the latest goodies, given the near-simultaneous launch of Google’s Pixel 8 series, but we welcome their debut, and with the holidays coming up, these new Fan Edition devices may prove quite popular.
