Apple last night unwittingly confirmed the existence of Samsung's upcoming next-generation Galaxy Buds+, which are set to compete directly with Apple's own AirPods Pro wireless earphones.
Confirmation came via an App Store preview of the wireless earphones' iOS app, first spotted by CNET, indicating that the Galaxy Buds+ will be officially compatible with iPhone 7 and newer devices running iOS 10 or higher.
Other than that, the app description reveals little else about Samsung's new earbuds. However, serial gadget leaker Evan Blass has subsequently shared an official-looking spec sheet of the upcoming Galaxy Buds+ compared to the current Galaxy Buds.
According to the spec sheet, the Galaxy Buds+ will have almost double the battery life of their predecessor, with 11 hours for the buds themselves plus an additional 11 hours from the charging case, compared with six hours for the standard Galaxy Buds and 7 hours for its charging case.
Unlike Apple's AirPods Pro, the Galaxy Buds+ don't have active noise cancellation, but the design remains the same as the current Galaxy Buds, so there is some passive sound isolation. Otherwise, the new earbuds have upgraded speakers and an additional microphone, so expect improved audio.
The Galaxy Buds+ will cost $149, up from $129, and will be available in black, white, red, and blue colors. Speculation suggests that Samsung may also include the earbuds in the box with the upcoming Galaxy S20, but this hasn't been confirmed.
After CNET highlighted the existence of Apple's App Store preview, a Samsung spokesperson told the website that the company is "excited to introduce Galaxy Buds+ soon." Samsung noted that its app "will allow iOS users to enjoy an optimized sound experience, on the go."
Samsung will hold its Unpacked event on February 11 in San Francisco, where it's expected to introduce its latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S20, along with a new folding phone called the Galaxy Z Flip.
Apple has reportedly been experiencing "much higher" than expected demand for its $249 AirPods Pro, and the company is said to have ask its supplier Luxshare Precision to double production of the high-end earphones to two million units per month.
Together with the Apple Watch, the AirPods and AirPods Pro have been a driving force behind growth in Apple's wearables category, which recently set new fourth quarter revenue records worldwide.
