After releasing a single pair of true wireless earbuds with a reasonable price point and a respectable list of features in 2019, Samsung took the wraps off the vastly improved and slightly costlier Galaxy Buds+ a little over two months ago.
While the highly unconventional appearance of Samsung's next-gen AirPods alternatives initially made it impossible to anticipate their official branding, we obviously never expected the internal "Bean" codename to stick. After all, it would have been pretty ridiculous to charge 150 bucks or so for a pair of Galaxy Bud Beans.
At the same time, however, we wouldn't bet the house just yet on a Galaxy Buds 2 moniker either, as a different name is now in pole position to commercially materialize before long.
As spotted by the folks from LetsGoDigital over in the Netherlands (translated here), the Samsung BudsX label has been recently trademarked with the European Union Intellectual Property Office and the UK Intellectual Property Office, which may well be related to the rumored development of the company's kidney bean-shaped headphones.
Of course, there's no way to verify the connection for now, but the timing alone suggests the recently leaked product and the newly registered brand have something in common. That being said, there are a lot of things still in flux, and we wouldn't rule out the existence of two different and unrelated products.
More than just headphones?
Naturally, we expect Samsung to use the full Galaxy BudsX designation for marketing purposes, and in case the name feels oddly familiar, that might be due to the fleeting existence of 2016's Gear IconX. Highly intriguing on paper, the "fitness earbuds" never quite managed to take off, but some of their activity tracking capabilities could be revived by the Samsung Galaxy BudsX.
The versatile Gear IconX failed to catch on despite their unrivaled versatility
Seemingly supporting that theory, the Samsung BudsX trademark description covers things like "software for providing a fitness guide" and "software for measuring distance, speed, time, changes in heart rate, activity level, calories burned", although that doesn't necessarily mean all of those features will be integrated into the final product carrying that name. The name itself is also far from etched in stone, as not all trademarks registered by tech giants like Samsung become commercial reality.
But if the company does decide to release the Galaxy BudsX with built-in fitness tracking features and active noise cancellation at no more than $150, Apple's industry-leading AirPods might find themselves in a world of trouble all of a sudden. The same goes for those ultra-affordable smart bands from the likes of Xiaomi, Fitbit, and Garmin, which could become obsolete... if Samsung manages to not repeat the errors of the quirky (and ultimately, gimmicky) Gear IconX.
In addition to the ability of keeping an eye on your health (no wrist-worn device needed) and AirPods Pro-rivaling ANC technology, the next-gen Galaxy Buds could match the mind-blowing 11-hour battery life of their "Plus" forerunners. Because everything sounds a little too good to be true, though, it's probably wise to remain skeptical for now and expect one or two things to not materialize as they are currently rumored.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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