Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Reaction: Buds Pro and SmartTags

 

The Samsung Unpacked has wrapped up and the phones have gone live, but there were other announcements at the event. In the shadows of the S21 series came the Galaxy Buds Pro and the Samsung SmartTags and SmartTags+.  Two very different products made to do two very different things, both have potential, and both are also entering very competitive markets(well at least the Buds Pro are).  Let's start with the Galaxy Buds Pro.  

 

 

Galaxy Buds Pro

The Galaxy Buds Pro are the new true wireless earbuds from Samsung, they bring true ANC to the Galaxy Buds along with better mics, sound quality, and comfort. I'm going to start with the case, the case comes in a variety of colors and is akin to the design of the Galaxy Buds live case (AKA the Galaxy Beans), the case in my opinion is just the worst design they've made. It not only needlessly thickens the case but it's also square, this makes it just so much harder to fit in pockets. It could be to give the Buds Pro an extra boost in battery life but I still object to the Case and its design. The case also keeps a USB-C port and has Qi wireless charging so you can plug in or place it on a charging mat to top off the case and the buds inside it. The Buds themselves have the same polycarbonate form with a grip coating to stick with your ears, overall, very similar to both the Buds Live and the Bud+. 

 

Image credit: BGR

 

The Buds themselves have an in-ear design and give you a 11mm woofer and a 6.5mm tweeter to provide ample sound quality. It also has a vent in the earbud to help relieve pressure and discomfort in the earbuds. The ANC is real ANC with many saying that it's ok but still doesn't measure up to the AirPods Pros. There's also a feature that detects the sound of human voice, namely yours, and then turns on the ambient mode so you can hear what the other person is saying, once it ceases to hear voices nearby ANC turns back on. Most expected this to be a gimmick, but reviewers have said that it actually worked although the ambient mode isn't as good as other earbuds the feature works and is actually compelling. It does enhance the sound profile giving better bass and overall sound profile, but it also drains the battery life. The battery life being probably the worst thing about these earbuds with 5 hours with ANC, 8 without ANC, and total charge being 18 hours with ANC (putting them to charge afterwards), and 28 hours without ANC. It's still pretty great being on par with the AirPods Pro and others but it's still somewhat disappointing.  

 

Image Credit: The Verge

 

The Buds are able to function independently and are IPX7 tested meaning they can resist dust and a freshwater swim, very impressive over the normal IPX4 found on most other earbuds. It also makes a bold move removing app support for iOS, Android still has app integration to make custom sound profiles, toggle ANC/Ambient, and other features made possible only via the app. 

Image Credit: The Verge

Omitting iOS support is a huge bet on the Samsung Ecosystem and although the Android ecosystem is still pretty big this basically eliminates the iOS market, a huge bet on Android ecosystem may or may not end up dooming these earbuds. It also has a 3D audio feature that is akin to others made by Apple and it also has a multi-pair feature to pair to other Samsung devices were it automatically switches between devices, it's not proper multipoint but it's still exiting. Overall, the Galaxy Buds pro is Samsung bringing the fight to Apple, Jabra, and others. Their Samsung's way to bring innovation to the earbuds space and with a $200 price tag makes it an intriguing offer to Android users everywhere. 

 

SmartTags and SmartTags+

So, let's talk about the Samsung SmartTags, much like the rumored AirTags and the existing product Tile, the SmartTags are small tags that you can attach to anything you might lose and then find them via an app or website. Several sources such as CNET, Engadget, and The Verge have all gone hand-on with this tag although not in video form and I encourage you to search for those articles, with that being said here's what I've gathered.  

 
 

Image Credit: Samsung

The SmartTags use Bluetooth LE and the Samsung SmartThings app to ping and find your lost object, whether it will or it won't work it yet to be seen. If you lost the object nearby it will help you find it by having a location bar and you can make it play a sound to have an easier time finding your lost item. If your item is much further away pings via Bluetooth on anonymous and encrypted Samsung phones around the world, thus enabling you to find your device wherever it may be. Do keep in mind that these are battery powered devices which means long-lasting but not infinite battery life, we'll have to wait for more reviews until we can get a handle on the battery life of the SmartTags.  

 

Image Credit: Samsung

 

The hardware itself is quite Streamlined, it comes is several colors and a keychain hole for simple attachment. I feel like it might be too thick to fit inside a wallet but thin enough to fit on a keychain, again we'll have to wait and see. The normal SmartTags will launch at $29.99 for a single tag, a double pack at $50 and a four pack at $85. 

Samsung is also offering SmartTags+, they're basically the SmartTags with an extra bonus feature that may or may not be worth their price tag. The SmartTag+ will allow you to find your device with Ultra-Wide Band otherwise known as UWB. UWB allows for a precise location using a series of pulses transmitted to and from your phone to the tag, the range is unknown, but it might be further than the Bluetooth LE. The SmartTag+ will support Bluetooth LE as well because only the S21 series and Note 20 Ultra have the UWB technology, all other Samsung Phones will have to work with Bluetooth LE. The hardware is the same as with the regular SmartTag but instead it comes in only two-color options instead of four.  

 

Image Credit: Samsung

 

They are available for Pre-order and cost $39.99 for one and a two pack for $64.99. Before I wrap up this article, I want to mention that these tags will only support Samsung phones, meaning I won't be able to use them (I use a Pixel 2) and chances are you won't be able to use the either, other than these seem to have exciting potential. Samsung is investing in its ecosystem and making a bet that not supporting other phones will pay off, only time will tell if that's true or not, all I have to say is that these SmartTags are an alternative to tile and beat AirTags to the market. It's an impressive start to a somewhat niche product.  

 
 

      Samsung Unpacked brought some interesting products to life and I can't wait to see the reviews these devices bring out. 

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