Samsung clears FDA for hearing-aid function on Galaxy Buds this year

Samsung disclosed that its Galaxy Buds line will soon include an FDA-cleared hearing-aid mode, slated for release later this year on the Buds 3 Pro and Buds 4 Pro models. The feature is aimed at adults with mild to moderate hearing loss and works together with a five-minute hearing test that can be started from the earbuds' settings on a compatible Galaxy smartphone. The test provides medical-grade results, classifying each ear as normal, mild, moderate, severe or profound.

Results are stored in the Samsung Health app, and the hearing-aid function amplifies sounds the user struggles to hear, while also leveraging the earbuds' noise-cancellation and beamforming technologies. The launch will initially cover the United States and a few other regions, offering an over-the-counter alternative similar to Apple’s AirPods Pro solution.