A mistake announced too soon or not, an iOS app for the expected new version of Samsung’s wireless earbuds was released on the Apple App Store Tuesday, seven days before the products expected announcement.
Rumors were basically confirmed by CNET, who reported the Galaxy Buds+ will be officially compatible with iPhone 7 and newer devices running iOS 10 or higher.
The posting revealed no additional details. A Samsung spokesperson told the website that the company is “excited to introduce Galaxy Buds+ soon,” noting that the app “will allow iOS users to enjoy an optimized sound experience, on the go.”
Various rumor sites report the new earbuds will be priced around $20 more at $149, have multi-device connectivity, and have an additional nine hours of battery life for the case and earbuds together.
Samsung will hold an announcement on February 11 in San Francisco. It is expected the company’s newest smartphone, the Galaxy S20, and a new folding mobile phone will be announced.
The Galaxy Buds+ is expected to go head-to-head with Apple’s $249 AirPods Pro. Apple recently reported strong revenue on the back of the iPhone and strong AirPods Pro sales. Despite severe supply constraints, the new wireless earbuds helped Apple sell $10 billion worth of wearables and accessories in the holiday quarter, a 37% jump from a year ago, the company reported. Revenue for the wearables sector grew 17% to a new all-time record of $12.7 billion.
“Demand for AirPods continues to be phenomenal,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook during the company’s earnings call.
