Samsung’s next flagship phone, the Galaxy S10, is now expected to come with a recently rumored accessory — bundled in for pre-order customers in select regions — a new report suggests.
Citing a recent tweet from mobile leaker Ishan Agarwal, CNET reported on Friday that Samsung’s rumored wireless Galaxy Buds could be included as a pre-order gift for customers in some regions. Neither CNET nor Agarwal specified which regions might be getting the earbuds, and as further noted by the tech news outlet, it isn’t clear either whether the offer applies to the Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, the S10e, or all three expected models.
As explained by Mashable , the Galaxy Buds are expected to be Samsung’s answer to Apple’s AirPods. Leaks published earlier this week suggest that users could charge the accessories by placing them inside a charging case, then placing the case on top of the Galaxy S10’s rear panel. As far as other key features are concerned, the Galaxy Buds reportedly come with an LED indicator, as well as a lip that allows users to easily open or close the case when needed.
Despite the seeming convenience of using the Galaxy S10 to charge a set of wireless earbuds, Mashable added that the feature can also be found on a competing Android flagship phone — the Huawei Mate 20 Pro. Furthermore, the publication added that the aforementioned charging system could eventually become obsolete once tech companies “[figure] out how to wirelessly charge devices over the air.”
Galaxy S10 preorders might include free Galaxy Buds https://t.co/M2qhP1E29V pic.twitter.com/fpd7wwZbZ2
— CNET (@CNET) February 9, 2019
There are a few other features that users could expect in the lead-up to their eventual release date. According to Engadget , the earbuds are expected to serve as a refined version of the company’s Gear IconX — albeit with an in-ear design that allows people to safely use them during workouts — as well as support for the Bixby digital assistant. Pricing, per a separate report from TechRadar , will likely be around $169, making the Galaxy Buds similar in price to Apple’s AirPods.
At the moment, it has yet to be confirmed when Samsung will be unveiling the Galaxy Buds, though most reports suggest that the company will be unveiling at least three varieties of the Galaxy S10 at its February 20 press event. Samsung’s rumored foldable phone is also expected to get announced along with the S10 line, and as T3 noted, there’s a strong possibility the South Korean tech giant will be launching its Galaxy Sport smartwatch on that day.