With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro, Samsung has added a variety of new features to its wireless earbuds But perhaps one of the biggest additions will not be available: 360 audio

Similar to the Spatial Audio mode in Apple's AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, 360 Audio tracks head movements to create a realistic surround sound effect However, Samsung quietly clarified in small print in the press release that this bud will only work when paired with a Galaxy device running OneUI 31 software Currently, the only devices that can do that are the three new Samsung Galaxy S21 phones, so you will need one of these to get the most out of the earphones

We contacted a Samsung representative who confirmed that 360 Audio currently only works with the Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra

This is not significantly different from the fact that the AirPods Pro's Spatial Audio requires a compatible Apple phone to function, but it is a fairly significant limitation that was not revealed at Samsung's launch event store page does not mention it anywhere

Apple's Spatial Audio also requires that the source device run iOS 14 and have a gyroscope, but that still means it can be used on a wider range of phones and tablets This includes the latest iPhone 12 as well as older models dating back to the iPhone 7

In Samsung's defense, it is normal for newer OneUI versions to be used on older Galaxy devices Therefore, it is possible that OneUI 31 will be included in the Galaxy S20 family, Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy Z Flip, and the Galaxy S10 series If this happens, these devices could be added to the list of 360 Audio-enabled devices, making the feature available to countless existing Galaxy owners

Still, if you were particularly looking forward to the 360 Audio feature, be wary of purchasing the Galaxy Buds Pro For the time being, you will need to purchase one of the new Galaxy S21 models to use this feature