Does Samsung really have the power to turn the Galaxy ecosystem into a direct counterweight to AirPods Max 2, or is this just an experimental project that is unlikely to be commercialized?
SamMobile said it discovered code strings and graphic resources related to an unannounced wireless headphone model that Samsung had in the Galaxy Wearable application. This data shows that Samsung is developing an over-ear audio device with Bluetooth connectivity, opening up the possibility of the company returning to the high-end headphone segment under the Galaxy ecosystem. However, Samsung has not yet officially announced the product, trade name, configuration, price or launch schedule. (SamMobile)
The most notable point is that these are not the familiar Galaxy Buds earbuds. If the product is truly commercialized, Samsung will enter a segment with big names such as Apple AirPods Max 2, Sony WH-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Sennheiser's high-end headphones. Therefore, calling the new product a competitor of AirPods Max 2 currently only reflects potential competitive positioning, not Samsung's official statement.
According to SamMobile, the data in the Galaxy Wearable also contains images related to the device's connection status. This is remarkable evidence that the project appeared in phSamsung's official software, but not yet enough to confirm the final design or release date. SamMobile predicts the product may appear in 2027. The 2027 date should therefore be considered unofficial information, not a launch schedule confirmed by Samsung. (SamMobile)
Apple now has AirPods Max 2 officially announced on March 16, 2026. According to Apple, this generation uses the H2 chip, upgraded active noise cancellation, supports Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, Live Translation and 24-bit 48 kHz lossless audio when connected by USB-C. Apple says the active noise canceling effectiveness of AirPods Max 2 can be up to 1.5 times higher than the previous generation. (Apple)
Content Headphones Samsung has not announced Apple AirPods Max 2
Over-ear Over-ear design
Status Detected in Galaxy Wearable Announced by Apple
Bluetooth Shows support Yes
ANC Noise Cancellation Not confirmed Yes
Processor chip Not confirmed Apple H2
USB-C lossless audio Unconfirmed 24-bit 48 kHz
Ecosystem integration Likely targeting Galaxy but not yet confirmed by Samsung Apple ecosystem
Launch date Not official, SamMobile predicts it may be in 2027 Announced March 16, 2026
If Samsung does bring the product to market, the biggest strategic advantage may lie in deep integration with phones, tablets, TVs and Galaxy devices. This is also the most direct competition with the ecosystem advantage that Apple is exploiting on AirPods Max 2.However, specific features such as Galaxy AI, audio codec, Spatial Audio, ANC, battery life or the ability to automatically switch devices have not yet been confirmed by Samsung, so they cannot be considered product parameters.
Another detail that needs to be clearly distinguished is that the name Galaxy H1 is appearing in some outside reports. Notebookcheck describes the device as said to be called Galaxy H1, but Samsung has not announced this commercial name. Therefore, Galaxy H1 must still be considered an unofficial name. (Notebookcheck)
If the project goes to commercial products, this will be a notable expansion for Samsung in the high-end personal audio market. The competition at that time was not only about sound quality or noise cancellation, but also a race between the Galaxy and Apple ecosystems. The most important thing at the moment is that Samsung actually has traces of developing over-ear headphones in Galaxy Wearable, and the product name, specifications, price and launch possibility in 2027 have not yet been confirmed by the company. (SamMobile)
