The News, Explained
On November 4, Samsung announced that South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety had authorized its Hearing Test and Hearing Aid software for Galaxy Buds. The company plans a phased software rollout in Korea for Galaxy Buds4 Pro and Buds3 Pro starting in early 2027. Samsung did not give an exact start date or a list of compatible phones in the announcement. Source
The Hearing Test starts in the Galaxy Buds menu in the phone’s settings. The earbuds play tones at different pitches and measure the quietest sound each ear can hear. A chart of those thresholds by pitch is called an audiogram. Samsung says it groups the test results into seven levels, from normal to profound, and shows guidance on what to do next. Source
The Hearing Aid feature uses the audiogram to adjust sounds in frequency ranges the user has trouble hearing. Instead of turning everything up together, it uses the chart to determine how much to amplify different pitches. Documents filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration describe a connected Galaxy phone handling the settings and the earbuds producing the amplified sound. Source Source
The amplification feature is intended for people 18 and older who perceive mild to moderate hearing loss. Samsung says users in this group can adjust the sound themselves using the audiogram from the Hearing Test. The test measures each ear separately because the same person may need different adjustments in each ear. Source Source
OYOPICK’s Take
If earbuds someone already owns can produce an audiogram and adjust sound, they offer another way to see which sounds are hard to hear before looking for a separate device. For example, if someone has trouble hearing only higher pitches, adjusting that range could be more useful than turning up everything. The benefit will depend on the person’s hearing and surroundings. When the update arrives, we would like to see compatible phones, eligibility, and guidance on when a result calls for a professional evaluation shown together. That would help users understand what each feature can do. Source Source