Samsung plans to add hearing-assistance features to the Galaxy Buds4 Pro and Galaxy Buds3 Pro wireless headphones via a software update. These features, which include a Hearing Test and Hearing Aid function, have recently received medical device approval from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS).
According to ITNA citing GSMArena, Samsung had earlier secured FDA approval for the hearing-aid feature in the Galaxy Buds family during the summer. However, the new South Korean approval paves the way for offering these capabilities in Samsung’s domestic market. The company announced that the update rollout in South Korea will begin in early 2027. The availability timeline for U.S. users has not yet been specified.
The Hearing Test feature evaluates each ear separately using pure-tone air-conduction audiometry. In this process, sounds at different frequencies are played to determine the lowest sound intensity the user can hear. The test result is then presented as an audiogram that classifies a person’s hearing into seven levels, from normal to profound hearing loss.
The Hearing Aid feature uses the test results to amplify sounds the user has difficulty hearing. This technology employs the NAL-NL2 formula developed by Australia’s National Acoustic Laboratories and widely used in hearing-assistance devices.
These features are designed for people aged 18 and over with mild to moderate hearing loss, and users can adjust the amount of amplification to suit their needs. Information such as exposure to loud sounds and hearing test results will be displayed in the Samsung Health app.
Samsung began working in this area in 2020 by adding ambient sound amplification to the Galaxy Buds Plus. The company now aims to expand user access to hearing-assistance technologies by integrating more advanced hearing assessment and amplification capabilities into its headphones.