Samsung’s Galaxy Buds4 Professional ecosystem hurts itself

When you’ve bought flagship earbuds previously decade, likelihood is you’ve already encountered the aptly-named walled backyard. Ecosystems have grow to be divorced, usually requiring a number of gadgets from the identical model to entry the perfect options. Whereas the headphone group as an entire as soon as blamed Apple, Samsung is equally accountable right this moment. The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Professional live proof that, with out the right {hardware}, listeners ought to anticipate nothing lower than half-baked performance.

Don’t get me improper, the Galaxy Buds4 Professional are considered one of Samsung’s biggest accomplishments thus far. That’s, offered you may have a current Samsung smartphone. Entry to the Samsung Seamless Codec, for instance, is proscribed to Samsung telephones working One UI 4.0 or later. So, if you happen to’ve been good to the planet and stored the identical cellphone you’ve had since earlier than 2021, you may’t take pleasure in wi-fi audio with as much as 512kpbs and 24-bit/44.1kHz sampling. That’s to not point out that the characteristic is totally unavailable on different Android and iOS gadgets.

Samsung doesn’t cease there, although. The Galaxy Buds4 Professional introduce a string of recent high-end options that require a Galaxy S23+ smartphone working One UI 6.1.1 or later. Take, for instance, Extremely-wideband calls. This characteristic makes use of a 16kHz bandwidth restrict to offer superior in-call microphone high quality. Likewise, Extremely Excessive-High quality (UHQ) audio makes use of an upscaling algorithm to revive beforehand misplaced auditory element. Nonetheless, you’ll want at the very least a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5+ to unlock the 24-bit/96kHz SSC UHQ codec.

Head gestures are the newest craze amongst flagship audio manufacturers. Apple has launched its personal performance for the AirPods Professional 2 and Professional 3, whereas the brand new HUAWEI FreeBuds Professional 5 additionally help answering and ending calls by nodding or shaking the top. The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Professional are not any completely different. Nonetheless, the characteristic is just obtainable inside the Galaxy Wearable app on related gadgets working One UI 8.5 or later. This software program model launched alongside the Samsung Galaxy S26 collection. Meaning future compatibility with earlier fashions, together with the S22+, isn’t anticipated till later.

One other persevering with limitation is the shortage of conventional Bluetooth Multipoint on Samsung earbuds. As a substitute, you have to obtain the Samsung Put on app on every non-Samsung gadget you want to pair the earbuds to. When you open the app, you may then manually join the earbuds to every gadget, however this provides an additional layer of inconvenience.

It’s no coincidence that two of the most important client audio manufacturers within the US have opted for ecosystem lock-ins. In any case, how else can huge firms compete if not by cornering their loyal followers? The actual fact is, although, that many various producers get by providing flagship options with out resorting to those sorts of malicious practises.

Take, for instance, the Google Pixel Buds Professional 2. These earbuds help head gestures on any Android and iOS gadget with the Google Pixel Buds app. Different OS-agnostic options embody dialog detection, which mechanically pauses music and switches to Transparency mode once you start talking. There’s additionally Adaptive Audio, which adjusts ambient sound ranges primarily based in your setting, and the earbuds help true Multipoint connectivity. When you personal an Android 6.0+ cellphone, you may converse seamlessly in 40 languages with Reside Translation.

Even price range earbuds, such because the EarFun Air Professional 4+, supply complete OS-agnostic options. With the EarFun Audio companion app put in, listeners can take pleasure in battery standing monitoring, low-latency gaming mode, and Multipoint connectivity. Android followers obtain the high-res aptX Lossless and LDAC codecs, whereas Apple customers can join by way of AAC. There’s additionally Adaptive ANC, management customizations, Discover My headphones, and a 10-band customized EQ. At CES 2026, EarFun introduced that, with the newest firmware replace (Android: v20.1.36+ / iOS: v20.5.5+), the EarFun Air Professional 4+ now helps AI translation. That makes them a extra compelling buy for frequent travellers than the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Professional. In addition they price $150 much less.

In case you have a current Samsung smartphone, there’s no have to query the Galaxy Buds4 Professional earbuds. They provide glorious energetic noise cancelation, final over 6 hours per cost, and have a sound high quality most shoppers will like. They’re a step up from their predecessor and bundle a fistful of helpful options that ought to hold them going for the subsequent few years without having an improve.

Nonetheless, if you happen to’re searching for earbuds and don’t personal a current Samsung cellphone, I wouldn’t suggest the Galaxy Buds4 Professional. Apart from being locked out of their greatest options, you’ll be spending cash on a number of the costliest buds available on the market proper now. Finally, there are extra inexpensive alternate options that provide nearly the identical options that work throughout Android and iOS by downloading their respective companion apps. Typically, reaching in your cellphone is a worth value paying to keep away from being sucked into an costly, closed-off ecosystem.