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Company brings accessible, over-the-counter hearing aid directly to Galaxy Buds<\/p>\n
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August. 11, 2026 \u2013 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced that its Galaxy Buds Hearing Aid feature has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance. This enables compatible Galaxy Buds to serve as an over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid, offering users 18 years and older a convenient solution for addressing perceived mild to moderate hearing loss \u2014 which may be indicated by difficulty following conversations in noisy environments \u2014 without a prescription or clinic visit. Users can also diagnose their hearing with the Galaxy Buds Hearing Test feature, which is registered as a Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) and provides medical-grade results.<\/p>\n
\u201cHearing health is a vital component of our overall well-being, profoundly impacting how we communicate, connect with loved ones and engage with the world,\u201d said Hon Pak, Senior Vice President and Head of the Digital Health Team for the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. \u201cWith the latest clearance from the FDA, we are expanding access to hearing support and making proactive care effortless by integrating the Hearing Test and Hearing Aid functionality directly into the Galaxy Buds.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hearing loss is incredibly common, yet it remains one of the most overlooked health conditions worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that globally, more than 1.5 billion people experience some degree of hearing loss \u2014 a figure projected to reach 2.5 billion people by 2050. Despite this, many people who could benefit from hearing aids do not use them due to high cost, social stigma or limited access to professional care.<\/p>\n
Samsung has been committed to advancing hearing support technologies for consumers since 2020. That year, the company introduced a Personal Sound Amplification Product (PSAP) feature on Galaxy Buds+.<\/p>\n
The PSAP feature was clinically validated in 2021 as effective support for daily communication for those with hearing loss, building the foundation for the Hearing Aid feature. To develop this new OTC solution, Samsung collaborated closely with the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) and Samsung Medical Center (SMC). The resulting technology is backed by robust clinical validation studies conducted at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, San Jose State University and the University of Memphis.<\/p>\n
Example of a Hearing Test result<\/p>\n
Hearing Aid settings screen<\/p>\n
Samsung\u2019s holistic hearing health experience centers around two major features integrated directly into Galaxy Buds without requiring a separate app. By navigating to the Galaxy Buds menu in Settings, users can complete a self-administered Hearing Test in just five minutes. Using clinical-grade, pure-tone audiometry, the software tests each ear individually to pinpoint the user\u2019s specific hearing deficits. It then generates an audiogram with accuracy comparable to a professional audiologist\u2019s evaluation. The results categorize the user\u2019s hearing as normal or one of four stages of hearing loss: mild, moderate, severe or profound.<\/p>\n
Based on those results, the Hearing Aid feature amplifies the sounds users have difficulty hearing \u2014 such as high frequencies, surrounding whispers and distant voices \u2014 personalized to each user\u2019s hearing profile. Hearing Aid also supports additional advanced features typically found in premium hearing aids, such as noise elimination and beamforming, which help focus sounds in front of the user and suppress background noise.<\/p>\n
Galaxy Buds use NAL-NL2, recognized globally as the clinical standard formula for fitting prescription hearing aid. This advanced approach ensures highly personalized, accurate results tailored to each individual’s hearing profile.<\/p>\n
To give users a comprehensive view of their overall wellness, hearing-related insights \u2014 including noise exposure levels and Hearing Test results \u2014 are accessible directly within the Samsung Health app.<\/p>\n
Availability<\/p>\n
The Hearing Aid and Hearing Test features will be available on Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Galaxy Buds4 Pro in the U.S. and select approved markets in Q4 2026.<\/p>\n
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About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.<\/p>\n
Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, digital signage, smartphones, wearables, tablets, home appliances and network systems, as well as memory, system LSI and foundry. Samsung is also advancing medical imaging technologies, HVAC solutions and robotics, while creating innovative automotive and audio products through Harman. With its SmartThings ecosystem, open collaboration with partners, and integration of AI across its portfolio, Samsung delivers a seamless and intelligent connected experience. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Company brings accessible, over-the-counter hearing aid directly to Galaxy Buds August. 11, 2026 \u2013 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced that its Galaxy Buds Hearing Aid feature has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance. This enables compatible Galaxy Buds to serve as an over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid, offering users 18 …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":134098,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[439],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-134100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english-news"],"yoast_head":"\n