Samsung Galaxy Buds 2: AirPods killer leaked designs look really, really weird

The original Samsung Galaxy Buds, the Korean smartphone company's effort last year at turning its hand to true-wireless earbuds, impressed on battery life in our official review, but didn't stand out in the audio stakes. 

One report shows the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 could end up sporting a highly unconventional design, to take the fight to rivals like the Apple AirPods Pro. 

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A report from German news outlet WinFuture shows digital renderings of true wireless headphones, reported to be Samsung's latest crack at the Galaxy Buds. The designs match an earlier render published on Dutch tech blog LetsGoDigital, a source of leaks in the past.

The Galaxy Buds 2 are kidney-shaped, resembling small porcelain beans, which is a design not seen before in true wireless earbuds. Despite the unconventional design, they're said to have plenty of tech nestled inside to see off their Apple rivals. 

The legume-shaped buds appear to fit directly inside the ear with little protrusion. While unobtrusive and sleek-looking, we wonder about the bud's capacity to be removed and inserted easily, especially with no silicone seal. 

Likewise, with no protrusion from the ear, a beam-forming microphone with no outward projection could prove tricky, potentially making the buds unable to match the quality of its rivals from Apple, Amazon, Huawei and others. However, if these designs are accurate, we imagine Samsung has hitherto unrevealed technologies to offset this.

Touch controls, like those on the AirPods Pro, would allow the wearer to cycle through tracks or adjust volume with a single or double tap on the side of the Buds. The earlier reports by LetsGoDigital suggest the Buds will incorporate fitness-tracking features, such as heart rate monitoring and calorie counting. Pretty advanced for headphones, and potentially one in the eye (or rather, the ear) for Apple's AirPods Pro. 

There's no word on exactly when the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 will be released, but it's possible the Buds will be launched alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, which is set to debut in July. However, with the global health crisis delaying product launches left, right and centre, there's every chance this could be pushed back later in the year. 

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