- Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 7 at a July launch event
- A new leak claims the company also has a surprise audio product
- It's reportedly a set of bone-conduction headphones
A new report claims that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 launch will take place in July, accompanied by the unveiling of a surprise new audio product: bone-conduction headphones.
The news comes from famed (and usually reliable) leaker Ice Universe on Chinese social-networking site Weibo, who says, "Sources revealed that Samsung Electronics' MX division will release bone conduction headphones at the Samsung Fold 7 launch event in July."
It sounds like Samsung is coming after the best bone-conduction headphones on the market, offering a new audio solution that's sure to be popular with runners and cyclists who love the lightweight, unobtrusive design of bone-conduction headphones, and the added safety they bring by allowing you to stay attuned to your surroundings.
The leak, first spotted by Android Authority, goes on to claim that the headphones are codenamed project "able", and will feature an "open wireless stereo (OWS) that transmits sound from around the ear instead of plugging the earphones into the ear."
Samsung is launching... something
As exciting as this leak is for runners, cyclists, and others, the second part of the leak muddies the water somewhat. OWS headphones generally refers to headphones that pump sound into your ear via air conduction, while bone-conduction headphones use vibrations to transmit the audio through your skull.
The upshot is the same, though: you get good audio quality while your ear canals remain free and open to listen out for hazards while you're out and about, one of the key reasons they're so popular with outdoor athletes.
There may be a language barrier here, or some confusion about the technology. Or perhaps Samsung has cooked up some exciting headphones that use a combination of bone conduction and air conduction.
Either way, if Ice Universe is correct these headphones will launch in July alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and would differ from the existing Galaxy Buds lineup, which you can find in our round-up the best earbuds.
Whether Samsung's first attempt will be enough to knock off the likes of Shokz off their perch when it comes to exercise headphones remains to be seen, but we're excited to find out.
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