It all started when I dropped my right earbud while traveling and watched it fall quite literally into a black hole.
I was being extra careful as I removed my Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earbuds so I could return them to their charging case, but something jostled my elbow on the way down, which jolted the tiny silver object out of my hand, leaving gravity to do its worst.
Also: Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 Pro made me reconsider my loyalty to Apple products
I really liked those earbuds. They sounded great, fit in my ears just perfectly, and offered excellent noise cancellation. I had finally mastered all the little touch gestures to control their features, and they were barely six months old.
As soon as it left my fingers, I knew that right earbud was gone, beyond recovery. And that’s when I fell headlong into a completely different black hole, occupied by legions of Samsung Support representatives from all over the globe. After three weeks of phone calls and emails and support chats and executive follow-ups, I feel like a character from Terry Gilliam’s dystopian masterpiece Brazil.
At one point, I heard the voice of Lucille Bluth: “It’s just one earbud, Ed. How much could it cost to replace it? $10?” Ha, I wish.
In my case, Samsung quoted me a “repair” cost of $177.53, which was a) about $50 more than I paid last November (Black Friday special) and b) only $12 less than I would pay for a new pair from Amazon<!–>, which could be delivered in a matter of hours. After many phone calls and some testy discussions, a supervisor at Samsung agreed to cut that price, but my fumble was still going to cost me dearly.
Nearly a month later, I still don’t have my replacement earbud, but I’ve learned a lot about what you can and can’t do if you find yourself in the “Oops, I Only Have One Earbud” club. And it starts with who made those audio accessories in the first place.
Here’s a spoiler: If you lose an earbud that you bought from Apple or Google, the replacement process is simple and relatively inexpensive. Things get a little trickier if they’re from Sony. But if that missing part is from one of Samsung’s top-of-the-line models, you might as well buy a new pair, because the replacement will cost nearly as much as an entire new set.
Also: The best earbuds of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed
Those differences come down to the way the devices are designed, which is probably something you’re not thinking about when you’re doing your due diligence before buying an expensive audio accessory. But maybe you should.
Here’s what you need to know.
If you lost or damaged an Apple AirPod …
You’re in luck!
If you’ve simply misplaced that earbud, you might be able to track it down using the Find My feature from your iPhone or iPad. If you’re certain it’s gone for good, go to this page and order a replacement. You’ll pay somewhere between $69 and $89 for a single earbud, depending on your AirPods model. The price list, shown here, is refreshingly transparent.
Apple’s support pages tell you right up front how much a replacement part will cost.
Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET
The process is simple and straightforward and you can handle it by going to your nearest Apple Store. If that’s inconvenient, you can arrange to have the replacement shipped to you.
If you lost or damaged a Google Pixel Bud …
You’re also in luck!
Google takes its lumps for erratic customer service, but if you’ve invested in the company’s earbuds, they’ve got your back.
Also: A year after testing, I still recommend these Nothing earbuds the most
Go to this page: Replace your lost or damaged Google Pixel Buds. Click the “Replace your Pixel Buds” button and then walk through a series of dialogs that help you find the exact part you’re missing.
Google offers a simple process for replacing a missing earbud.
Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET
When I tried this with a variety of possible configurations, the cost was usually $70. That’s pretty much in line with what Apple charges and seems about right.
If you lost or damaged a Sony earbud …
Officially, Sony wants you to pay a hefty chunk of change for your Butterfingers moment. No, they say, you can’t buy a replacement from anyone but the Sony mothership. Here, see for yourself:
Can I purchase the earbuds (headphones) or the charging case separately?
The earbuds are pre-set with information that allows them to communicate with and from each other. These settings can only be configured at the Authorized Service Center with all three components present. For this reason, you can’t simply replace one missing part.
A chat with a support representative confirmed that, yes, that’s the official policy. You’d have to return the remaining earbud and charging case and pay for a replacement part, and you’d have to pay an extra charge for the service center to pair the new earbud with the lonely leftover earbud.
That same tech referred me to the only authorized third-party service center, where a quick check found that a single right earbud for the current top-of-the-line Sony model, WF1000-XM5–>
, costs $144.95. That price doesn’t include the cost of shipping or service, which will probably add another $60. (A brand-new pair costs $198 from a variety of sources.)
Also: Best headphones of 2025: The top headphones and earbuds this year
But there’s no reason to pay those official prices. I found a Reddit thread that confirmed it’s possible to buy a replacement and pair it yourself. This online supplier offers a Sony earbud replacement for a mere $69.99, with instructions for pairing the replacement device. The only caveat is to ensure that your missing device is on the correct firmware level, a detail you can look up in the Sony app.
<!–>
If you lost or damaged a Samsung earbud …
Welcome to my world.
If you own one of Samsung’s older earbud offerings, you might be able to buy a replacement from eBay or another online source and then reset the whole assembly. But my Galaxy Buds 3 Pro (well, at this point it’s a Bud 3 Pro, but let’s not get technical) aren’t so user-friendly.
In multiple discussions on Samsung’s support forums, company representatives confirmed that all of the pieces in this set have to be matched and paired with one another, and for the newest model, that task can only be accomplished at a Samsung repair facility. (You might have better luck with an older model, but caveat emptor.)
Also: I replaced my iPad with a $100 Android tablet, and here’s my verdict after a week
That was the same message when I spoke with a cheerful support rep, who encouraged me to open a repair ticket and send my remaining parts back to Samsung. He couldn’t tell me how much the replacement would cost; I had to wait for the repair center to receive my package and then send me a bill.
But I can save you all that hassle. A replacement earbud for a Galaxy Buds 3 Pro will cost more than it’s worth, and you’ll be better off buying a new or refurbished set–>.
I’ve decided to consider this entire incident as an opportunity to start fresh. The Samsung earbuds only work properly with an Android phone, and I’ve been considering replacing my older Galaxy phone with a new iPhone. If I do that, there are plenty of other options to consider, including some high-end over-the-ear headphones that aren’t likely to vanish if they’re dropped.
Get the biggest stories in tech every Friday with ZDNET’s Week in Review newsletter.
Source: Robotics - zdnet.com
