Galaxy Buds 4 dummy leaks downplay AirPod comparisons with new metallic finish
Source: 9to5Google
We know Samsung has another round of earbuds coming soon, likely timed with next week’s Galaxy S26 unveiling. Ahead of Unpacked, we’re getting our first look at dummy units for both the Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro, and they’re really driving home how Samsung has heard all of your AirPod comparisons.
The images come courtesy of TechTalkTV on Twitter, who shared five photos of dummy units for both models being sent to stores ahead of Samsung’s upcoming launch. While these models aren’t functional, they demonstrate exactly what the Galaxy Buds 4 lineup will look like in real life. The photos practically confirm the last couple of months’ worth of leaks, but the new metallic finish along the stem appears to be a direct response to criticism of the Buds 3 design.
Design and Finish
Samsung’s most recent high‑end earbuds release ditched its previous design to essentially imitate what Apple offers through both its basic non‑tipped AirPods and its more premium AirPods Pro. Despite a few small differences—a silver colorway and a superfluous light strip—practically every review pointed out the obvious Apple likeness, which nearly overshadowed what were otherwise two pairs of solid earbuds.
With the Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro, Samsung seems to have adopted a strategy to pre‑empt criticism: a brushed silver plate on the outward‑facing portion of the stem. This is the first time we’ve seen a real‑world glimpse of that finish.
The silver‑on‑black finish on the Buds 4 Pro looks, in my view, the better of the two shades. Perhaps thanks to their status as a more premium product—or simply a better picture—the Pros don’t look half bad, and the return to a square case (instead of the Apple‑esque flip‑top) is a nice touch. In comparison, the regular Galaxy Buds 4 look cheap. As my colleague Andrew Romero put it in a leak earlier this week, they “really do look like budget earbuds from several years ago.”
Both earbuds still resemble Apple’s designs when the metallic plate is out of view, though the charging connectors and the black colorway on the Pros help downplay that likeness. A final image of the regular Buds 4 case’s back reveals the charging port and a sync button that could allow you to remotely ring your lost phone.
Availability
Considering these units are being sent to stores ahead of an official announcement, next week’s Unpacked event is a safe bet for both of Samsung’s pairs of earbuds to make their debut.