Samsung
Samsung is delaying the US launch of the $250 Galaxy Buds3 Pro from July 24 to August 28, according to its website. The third-generation headphones see Samsung move from a bean-like shape to an Apple AirPods Pro-like design, including silicone ear tips. But some users claim that the new tips tear too easily.
Samsung confirmed to Android Authority today that it has temporarily stopped shipping devices to stores. The devices were no longer available for pre-order at Amazon or Best Buy as of this writing.
Samsung’s statement to Android Authority noted “reports related to a limited number of early production devices” and said it was taking the issue “very seriously.” The statement continues:
We are urgently evaluating and improving our quality control processes. To ensure that all products meet our quality standards, we have temporarily suspended shipments of Galaxy Buds 3 Pro devices to distribution channels to conduct a full quality control assessment before shipping to consumers. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.
Samsung also advised people who already have a pair to contact Samsung or go to a Samsung service center. Android Authority reported that some customers also received an email from Samsung informing them of quality control concerns and offering a link where customers can find contact information to ask Samsung representatives about canceling their refund orders. the amount.
Samsung’s website says the headphones have a one-year warranty that doesn’t cover defects or damage “caused by accident, misuse, abnormal use, abnormal conditions, improper storage, neglect, or unusual physical, electrical, or electromechanical stress.”
“Tore apart instantly”
Although the Galaxy Buds3 Pro were originally supposed to be available in the US on July 24, they are now available for purchase in South Korea, according to Android Police. Other people who already have the headset include reviewers, employees, and those who placed their pre-orders earlier. (Some people also claimed to have been able to buy the headphones at US Walmarts before Samsung announced them).
Some who reportedly had the earplugs claim that it was difficult to remove their silicone tips without tearing them. Like the AirPods Pro, the Galaxy Buds3 Pro have a silicone tip that clips onto a plastic ring on the headphone chassis. Various people have reported that they try to remove the tip and the tip tears off, leaving a piece of silicone stuck to the plastic ring.
Some, including reviewers at The Verge and Android Authority, said they haven’t had the problem yet. But others, including TechRadar, found it a challenge to remove the ear tips without damaging them.
One Reddit user claimed they pulled an ear tip to remove it and “it tore open inside instantly.” They noted that because the silicone is trapped in the plastic ring, “you have to pull hard on it.” Similarly, another user said that “the tip of the left ear came right off” when they tried to remove it.
Samsung even posted a support page on its Korean website explaining how to remove the ear tips to avoid damage. It notes various ways the silicone can tear, including, according to Google Translate, if you hold them with your fingernails while inserting or removing them, if you push or twist the ear tips hard, or if you pull the ear tips quickly.
After numerous complaints online, including on Reddit (examples here , here , and here ) and YouTube (examples here and here ), Samsung delayed general availability. Complicating potential quick fixes, Samsung doesn’t yet offer advice on replacing the headphones. People generally don’t need to replace their ear tips often, but not offering a replacement when Apple has been doing it for years seems like an oversight.
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds3 Pro look like the AirPods Pro that originally debuted almost five years ago, and it doesn’t care. What it should definitely be interested in, however, is a new design that looks weak and worse before it’s even fully released. Samsung has at least taken the initiative to address the early complaints instead of ignoring them, and is instead offering refunds and a release delay to limit the number of affected customers. We’ll see if the headphones are more robust by August.
