Earbuds are moving beyond music and calls. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds are preparing to add a hearing aid feature and a five-minute hearing test, while Apple and Bose are pushing audio hardware in new directions and Elehear is bringing expert support to over-the-counter hearing aid users.
The shift turns everyday audio devices into tools for hearing support, fitness, communication, and entertainment. It also raises a practical question: are people ready to treat their earbuds like healthcare equipment?
Samsung Brings Hearing Tests To Galaxy Buds
The FDA approved Samsung’s Galaxy Buds hearing aid feature, which will soon arrive alongside a hearing test. Samsung plans to make both tools available on Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in the US and some other markets later this year.
The hearing test can start from the Galaxy Buds settings on a compatible Galaxy phone. Samsung says it offers medical-grade results in five minutes, giving users a fast way to check whether their hearing is normal or identify the level of hearing loss in each ear.
The test places hearing into one of four categories: mild, moderate, severe, or profound. That result can help users understand what they are hearing from each ear, rather than treating hearing as one general measure.
Samsung’s hearing aid feature is similar to the one found in Apple’s AirPods Pro. It can amplify whispers, distant voices, and high frequencies, while noise elimination and beamforming in the earbuds help shape the listening experience.
“The FDA approved Samsung’s Galaxy Buds hearing aid feature, which will soon be available alongside a hearing test,” Samsung said. The company also said, “The hearing test, meanwhile, is said to offer medical-grade results in only five minutes.”
Remote Hearing Support Meets Everyday Earbuds
Elehear launched ElePro Plus on August 10 for over-the-counter hearing aid users. The $99 remote fine-tuning service connects qualifying Elehear Beyond Series customers with a licensed audiologist through a live, one-on-one video consultation.
A session can include a review of the user’s hearing profile, a discussion of listening challenges, and a live hearing test if the customer prefers. The service is designed to help users optimize hearing aid settings in the environments where they spend their daily lives.
That focus on real listening situations gives ElePro Plus a clear role alongside Samsung’s built-in tools. Samsung is placing testing and amplification inside Galaxy Buds, while Elehear is adding personal support for users who need help adjusting their hearing aid settings.
These products also highlight how much responsibility now rests with small devices placed in the ears. AirPods and earbuds are grosser than most people think, and specific cleaning kits can help keep them clean. Regular care matters when earbuds handle music, calls, hearing tests, and hearing support in the same compact package.
AirPods Pro And Bose Raise The Audio Stakes
Apple’s AirPods Pro are $60 off at $189.99, their lowest price since late June. Apple’s entry-level AirPods do not offer the same sound quality, while the AirPods Pro can automatically sync with other Apple devices and include a built-in heart rate sensor compatible with more than 50 workout types in Apple’s Fitness app.
The AirPods Pro 3 bring a new design, improved fit, noise cancellation, better bass, and accurate heart rate sensors. They are priced at $190 at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy, putting them close to the discounted price of the AirPods Pro.
The fit also matters during movement. The AirPods Pro 3 provide a tighter fit, making them more comfortable for some people, especially during workouts. Together with the heart rate features, the earbuds show how audio devices are becoming part of exercise routines as well as listening habits.
Bose has refreshed its QuietComfort headphones, marking the first update in three years. The new headphones cost $359 and include Bose’s Immersive Audio feature, a spatial audio algorithm with built-in motion sensors.
- Cinema Mode is designed to make dialogue clearer.
- USB-C audio supports wired lossless audio up to 24bit/48kHz.
- The headphones work wirelessly and while charging through USB-C.
- A six-microphone ANC system compensates for gaps in the ear cup seal.
- An upgraded headband, plush cushioning, and oval-shaped earcups update the hardware design.
Bose also upgraded its noise cancellation algorithm for Aware Mode, which now “responds more naturally to sudden spikes of noise.” USB-C audio can deliver a clearer voice signal during videoconferencing apps, adding another reason to use the headphones with a wired connection.
The new Bose QuietComfort headphones will be available for preorder on August 8, with shipments starting August 13.
The Earbud Era Is Getting More Personal
Samsung’s hearing tools, Elehear’s audiologist service, Apple’s health features, and Bose’s audio upgrades point toward one fast-moving category: personal audio that responds to more parts of daily life.
One pair of earbuds can now test hearing, amplify selected sounds, track heart rate during workouts, and connect with other devices. Add remote fine-tuning and simple cleaning kits, and the next generation of audio products looks less like a collection of accessories and more like an everyday personal system.
The big test arrives later this year, when Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro bring Samsung’s approved hearing aid feature and hearing test to users in the US and some other markets. Earbuds are no longer just delivering sound. They are beginning to help users understand, shape, and manage how sound reaches them.
Based on
- Samsung says a hearing aid feature is coming to Galaxy Buds later this year — engadget.com
- Elehear ElePro plus launches remote hearing aid fine-tuning service — usatoday.com
- The AirPods Pro are $60 off, their best price since late June | The Verge — theverge.com
- Bose Has Refreshed Its QuietComfort Headphones With Two-Way USB-C Audio And Better Noise Cancellation — engadget.com
- How To Clean Your AirPods, And The Best Earbud Cleaning Kits For The Job — ctvnews.ca
