Following the 'Galaxy Ring' Controversy, Samsung Faces Earphone Troubles

Samsung Electronics has decided to effectively recall its new product, 'Buds 3 Pro', following criticisms of manufacturing and finishing defects. The company recently announced on its website, "We deeply apologize for the quality issues raised with some products purchased during the pre-sale period that ended on the 18th," and added, "If you experience any inconvenience with the product, you can receive appropriate measures such as exchanges or refunds at a nearby service center."

This decision follows criticisms over inadequate quality control for the new Bluetooth wireless earphones, 'Buds 3 Pro', released on July 10th. Some consumers who purchased the Buds 3 Pro have voiced complaints, questioning whether proper quality inspections were conducted, citing numerous defects in the products.

Quality Control Issues Resembling Small Enterprises?
So far, common defects reported on online IT product communities and the official Samsung website fall into four main categories:

Case defects such as uneven surfaces or loose hinges on the charging case.
Unit defects including inconsistent LED colors and brightness on the earphone units.
Functional defects where the noise-canceling feature does not operate consistently, turning on and off repeatedly or generating significant noise.

Durability issues where the ear tips tear too easily during replacement.
Even IT review YouTubers, who have generally been favorable towards Samsung Galaxy products, such as 'ZUYONI' and 'Techmong', have raised concerns about the substantial quality control issues with the new Buds 3 Pro.

The YouTuber 'ITSub', who has 2.57 million subscribers, purchased ten Buds 3 Pro units for self-verification. He reported that four of them had exterior defects that did not affect usage, while three had severe functional defects requiring exchange. He added, "The fact that there were many defective products despite purchasing through various platforms (Coupang, Gmarket, Naver Store, Samsung.com) indicates that this issue is not confined to a few online users."

Particularly common defects, such as issues with LED decorations and foreign substances inside the charging case, seem to be the result of manufacturing processes and could have been largely filtered out through proper inspection, increasing the criticism.

A Blow to the Highly Anticipated 'Buds' Lineup
This is not the first time Samsung has faced quality control controversies. Galaxy smartphones and tablets have previously been criticized for display and camera defects. Previous models, Buds Pro (2021) and Buds 2 Pro (2022), also faced criticism for causing external otitis.

Some users reported experiencing ear discharge or developing external otitis after using the product, raising concerns about the design of the ear tips, which are crucial for in-ear canal earphones. Samsung was criticized for potentially lacking in ear tip design.

Samsung had intended to reverse these negative evaluations with the next-generation Buds 3. Following the 'Galaxy Unpacked' event on the 10th, the Buds series received the highest praise among wearable products. While the Galaxy Watch faced criticism for its high price and the Galaxy Ring had mixed reviews on design and functionality, the Buds were regarded as well-made products.

Until the 'Galaxy Unpacked' event on the 10th, the Buds were expected to be a key product for Samsung in the second half of the year. Reviewers like 'ZUYONI', 'Techmong', and 'ITSub' initially praised the Buds 3 Pro for improved sound quality, fit, and call quality, noting that the only downside was its resemblance to Apple's 'AirPods'.

Samsung also aimed to position the Buds 3 Pro as more than just an audio device, but as a healthcare device. Features include adjusting noise-canceling intensity and volume based on the user's environment and habits, using 'Galaxy AI' to prevent exposure to excessively loud sounds and protect hearing. It also features an accelerometer to detect the user's head position and issue warnings to prevent tech neck.

However, these improvements have been overshadowed by disappointing quality control. YouTuber 'Techmong' emphasized, "Even if improved products are released after the 24th as Samsung claims, consumers cannot know if they will receive the improved version or the old stock when ordering online," calling for a wise response from Samsung.