Samsung’s Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features have received medical device approval in South Korea from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). The company plans to bring both features to the Galaxy Buds4 Pro and Galaxy Buds3 Pro through a software update, with the Korean rollout expected to begin in early 2027.
Samsung has not announced when the features will be available in the United States. The Hearing Aid feature received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration earlier, but that clearance has not been accompanied by a US release schedule.
The Hearing Test plays tones at different frequencies to identify the quietest sounds a user can hear, testing each ear separately. It then produces an audiogram that places hearing in one of seven categories, from normal to profound, and offers guidance on what to do next.
The Hearing Aid feature uses the audiogram to amplify sounds that are difficult for the user to hear. It applies the NAL-NL2 prescription formula developed by Australia’s National Acoustic Laboratories. Samsung says the feature is intended for adults aged 18 and older who suspect they have mild to moderate hearing loss, and can be adjusted without assistance from a hearing specialist. Test results and information such as noise exposure levels are also available in the Samsung Health app.
Samsung introduced a personal sound amplification feature with the Galaxy Buds+ in 2020. Clinical testing the following year found it helped people with hearing loss during everyday conversations.
Sources: GSMArena.