Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro leak reveals real-time translation feature — and you don't even need the cloud to speak to people in another language

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
(Image credit: Samsung)

According to a report by South Korea's Maeil Business Newspaper, Samsung's next-gen Galaxy Buds Pro 3 wireless earbuds could come with real-time language translations thanks to their powerful on-device AI capabilities. 

With the Galaxy Buds Pro 3 version expected to arrive in 2024, rumors around Samsung's Galaxy S24 have already revealed new AI features in One UI 6.1 software that will run it. These include AI-generated wallpapers and a built-in photo editor with an AI-assistant to make complicated editing jobs much easier to do on the fly. Sounds impressive so far. 

More interesting is the powerful in-call translation AI capabilities that could let you understand and talk to someone speaking a different language in real time.

Although there's no mention of what Samsung's language translation tech might be called, it's a feature that has been hinted at before and sounds remarkably similar to Google's Live Translate via its Pixel Buds.

In-call translation AI capabilities could let you understand and talk to someone speaking a different language in real time.

A report via SamMobile suggests that unlike Google's Live Translate, which can't do offline translations as it requires a connection to the internet, Samsung's tech will be able to make translations to your preferred language on the fly without needing the web. It's expected that it will run locally, rather than through the cloud-powered language models, resulting in faster translations.

It's not difficult to see how the Galaxy Buds 3 could go one step further by translating speech in real-time when two people are talking face-to-face. So if you like to travel to far flung places, or you've ever tried to learn another language but struggled to find the words at the crucial moment, Samsung's next-gen Galaxy Buds 3 Pro wireless earbuds partnered with a Galaxy S24 could be the perfect travel companion to accompany you on your adventures.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: Outlook

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro series have consistently been among the best wireless earbuds you can buy since they launched in 2021. The second-gen Galaxy Buds 2 Pro version that arrived in 2022 received a coveted Editor's Choice award for their top sound quality and now support 360 Audio Recording too. They continue to rank among the best noise-canceling earbuds we have tested. 

Although there's no word on an official launch date for the so-called Galaxy Buds 3 Pro from Samsung, the report reinforces the rumors that it is developing its AI capabilities for the 2024 lineup. If true, real-time translations during video calls along with enhanced learning could see the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro lead the way as a practical solution for language translations, and become the perfect tool for breaking down the language barrier.

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Lee Dunkley
Audio Editor

After 2.5 years as Tom's Guide's audio editor, Lee has joined the passionate audio experts at audiograde.uk where he writes about luxury audio and Hi-Fi. As a former editor of the U.K.'s Hi-Fi Choice magazine, Lee is passionate about all kinds of audio tech and has been providing sound advice to enable consumers to make informed buying decisions since he joined Which? magazine as a product tester in the 1990s. Lee covers all things audio for Tom's Guide, including headphones, wireless speakers and soundbars and loves to connect and share the mindfulness benefits that listening to music in the very best quality can bring.