Samsung’s own Galaxy Wearable app has quietly confirmed the names of three unannounced products ahead of its July 22 Unpacked event: the Galaxy Watch 9, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, and a new earbud line called Galaxy Able. The watches are exactly what you would expect. The earbuds are not.
Samsung dropped the word Buds entirely from a product it has spent over a year building, and that naming choice says more about what is coming than any spec leak has so far. If you are deciding whether to wait on your next pair of earbuds, this is the leak that actually matters.
TL;DR: Samsung’s Galaxy Wearable app version 2.2.70.26060861 confirms the Galaxy Watch 9, Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, and a new earbud line called Galaxy Able, dropping the Buds branding entirely. The earbuds carry model number SM-U600, breaking from the SM-R prefix and composer codenames used on every Galaxy Buds release since 2019. A battery component for the device already cleared Indian regulatory certification. Unpacked is set for July 22, 2026.
Galaxy Able is not another Buds model
Galaxy Able first showed up in leaks under the placeholder name Galaxy Buds Able, and most coverage assumed it would ship that way. Version 2.2.70.26060861 of the Galaxy Wearable app changes that. SammyGuru’s teardown of the app code found the finalized name Galaxy Able referenced directly in multiple places, with the older Galaxy Buds Able string still lingering as an internal leftover.
The model number is where this gets interesting. Every Galaxy Buds product since 2019 has used the SM-R prefix, paired with composer-inspired internal codenames like Handel and Bach. An April 2026 Android Authority teardown found Galaxy Able carrying the model number SM-U600 instead, a prefix Samsung has never used on an earbud before.
That is the detail most coverage will skip. A new prefix on a product line usually means Samsung’s own engineering teams are treating it as a distinct category, not a Buds variant with a new shape.
The device is also further along than a code string. A battery unit tied to the product, model number EB-BU600AAY, cleared India’s Bureau of Indian Standards database back in April 2026. Regulatory filings like that do not happen for placeholder projects.
| Detail | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Able name | Confirmed in app code | Galaxy Wearable app 2.2.70.26060861 |
| Galaxy Watch 9 name | Confirmed in app code | Galaxy Wearable app, @Alfaturk16 |
| Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 name | Confirmed in app code | Galaxy Wearable app, @Alfaturk16 |
| Model number SM-U600 | Confirmed | Android Authority APK teardown |
| Battery EB-BU600AAY | Certified (BIS database) | Android Authority |
| Pricing | Unconfirmed | Not yet reported |
| Unpacked date | July 22, 2026 | Prior Samsung leaks |
Why an open ear design changes how earbuds get used
Galaxy Able is expected to use a clip-on, open-ear design rather than the sealed fit of the Galaxy Buds4 Pro. Instead of sitting inside your ear canal, the earpiece clips around the outer ear and leaves the canal itself completely open.
That trade-off is the whole point. If you have ever pulled an earbud out mid-run to hear a car coming, this is the design problem Samsung is finally addressing directly instead of leaving to accessory makers.
Samsung already ships a version of the underlying technology. The Galaxy Buds4 Pro uses bone conduction to pick up your voice during calls, improving clarity in windy or noisy environments without changing how the earbud plays audio back to you. Able appears to flip that same principle around, using it for playback rather than just voice pickup.
Sony’s LinkBuds Clip, released as a similar open-ear product, shows the tradeoff clearly. Users get full situational awareness but give up some deep bass response, since low frequencies typically need a sealed cavity to reach the ear cleanly. Anyone expecting Able to replace a sealed pair of Buds for music listening should adjust that expectation now.
The watch names confirm the timeline everyone assumed
Tipster @Alfaturk16 shared screenshots on X showing the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 names inside the same Galaxy Wearable app update. Neither name is a surprise on its own. Together with a July 22 date, they lock in an Unpacked event that was already expected to bring a price increase across Samsung’s foldable and wearable lineup.
Both watches are expected to ship with One UI 9 out of the box, the same Android 17 based software rolling out across Samsung’s phones and tablets this year.
That pricing context matters here too. Samsung has not confirmed what Galaxy Able will cost, and there is no direct predecessor to compare it against. An entirely new hardware category launching in the same event as confirmed price hikes on existing products is not a coincidence Samsung is likely to explain in the keynote.
What to actually do before you buy earbuds right now
Nothing about Galaxy Able is confirmed enough to delay a purchase you need today. Samsung has not announced pricing, a release window beyond the general Unpacked date, or final specs beyond the code strings and one certified battery part.
If open-ear designs interest you for running or all-day calls, it is worth waiting to see Able in person rather than buying into Sony or Anker’s version now. If you just want a reliable sealed pair for music, none of this changes that calculus.
The clearer signal is what Samsung’s naming choice says about its own roadmap. Dropping Buds from the name of a product built on Buds technology is not a marketing accident, and it suggests Samsung is preparing to sell open-ear audio as its own product line rather than a Buds spinoff.
