Galaxy Buds 4 Pro Move Closer to Launch as Samsung Tests Firmware

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro are hardly a secret anymore. A recent deep dive into the One UI 8.5 build even revealed the model numbers for both. Previous reports have also suggested an early 2026 launch. Suffice it to say, their debut is still at least three months away.

Samsung is now testing firmware for the unannounced Galaxy Buds 4 Pro

Right on time, Samsung has begun testing firmware for the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, according to regular tipster Alfatürk. This is yet another piece of evidence that Samsung is actively working on development. Chances are both earbuds will launch alongside the Galaxy S26 series in January. The build version in question is R640XXU0AYI1.

Not much is known yet about the features. In a recent opinion piece, we mentioned that we’d love to see Samsung borrow a page from Apple’s playbook and tap heart rate sensor into the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, similar to what’s expected with the AirPods Pro 3.

Whether that’s too much to hope for remains to be seen. After all, at $249… the same price at which the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro debuted… Apple already offers that feature. We’ll likely find out in the coming weeks if Samsung can pull it off. More realistically, we can expect major upgrades in noise cancellation, audio quality, and AI-powered features. For now, though, it’s best to wait and see what Samsung has up its sleeve.

Meanwhile, Android Authority has confirmed that the Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro will carry the SM-R540 and SM-R640 model numbers at launch. Beyond that… and a parts leak that unfortunately doesn’t reveal much… there isn’t a lot we know yet about the upcoming earbuds. If you’re hunting for a deal right now, though, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is currently selling for just $109.99.