Samsung is exploring a move into full-size wireless over-ear headphones under the internal codename Galaxy H1, according to code discovered within the Galaxy Wearable app. While Samsung has not announced a release date, price, or specifications, the project could position the company to compete directly against premium audio devices like Apple’s AirPods Max.
Samsung dominates the wireless earbuds market with its extensive Galaxy Buds lineup, but the company has left a notable gap at the top of its audio ecosystem. Galaxy smartphone owners looking for a premium pair of Samsung-branded over-ear headphones have faced an empty shelf for years, as noted by Ecoustics.
That oversight may soon change. Code and connection assets discovered deep within Samsung’s Galaxy Wearable app point to an unannounced over-ear headset. First brought to light by SamMobile, the discovery reveals the project is moving under the internal designation Galaxy H1.
What the Galaxy Wearable App Leak Actually Reveals
Software assets do not constitute a formal hardware announcement, and the assets found in the app code may not represent the final retail design. However, the app files provide concrete visual clues about the form factor.
The only functional capability confirmed directly from the code strings is Bluetooth connectivity.
The project’s internal codename also suggests that Samsung will eventually apply a distinct marketing name to the hardware before it hits retail shelves. SamMobile suggests the hardware could surface sometime in early 2027, though Samsung has not issued any confirmation or timeline.
A Long History in Audio and a Formidable Internal Competitor
Samsung is no stranger to the over-ear category. In 2014, the company introduced the Samsung Level Over, a wireless model featuring a 50mm dynamic driver, touch controls, and hybrid active noise cancellation. A year later, Samsung released the Level On Wireless Pro with Bluetooth connectivity and active noise cancellation. Yet those devices arrived long before Samsung’s multi-billion-dollar acquisition of HARMAN International in March 2017.
Through HARMAN, Samsung now commands an enormous audio portfolio encompassing AKG, JBL, and Harman Kardon, alongside Sound United brands like Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, and Marantz. While there is no verified evidence that engineers from those subsidiary brands are directly building the Galaxy H1, Ecoustics highlights that Samsung enters 2026 with considerably more in-house audio expertise than it possessed a decade ago.
Ironically, Samsung already owns a powerhouse contender in the exact same market segment. The JBL Tour One M3 offers adaptive active noise cancellation, Spatial 360 with head tracking, Hi-Res Audio, Auracast, and up to 70 hours of playback. Rather than proving Samsung can engineer capable acoustics, a Galaxy-branded headset would serve a different purpose: completing the hardware ecosystem.
Ecosystem Ambitions and the Personal Audio Battleground
The primary advantage for a potential Galaxy H1 headset lies in software integration rather than revolutionary acoustic drivers. Samsung’s current Galaxy Buds4 Pro support the proprietary Samsung Seamless Codec UHQ at up to 24-bit/96kHz with compatible Galaxy devices, alongside Auto Switch, 360 Audio, adaptive ANC, and hands-free access to AI assistants like Gemini and Perplexity.
Apple has long mastered this dynamic with the AirPods Max, which integrate tightly across iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Whether Samsung can carve out space against established heavyweights from Apple, Sony, and Bose will depend heavily on pricing, comfort, and how tightly its software features bind to Galaxy devices.
