The Galaxy Buds 3 FE, Tab S10 Lite, and Samsung’s whole Fan Edition program make zero sense to me

While I can totally understand if some of you don’t find them as exciting as the recently released Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 or the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, the just-unveiled (properly, that is) Galaxy Buds 3 FE and undoubtedly fast-approaching Galaxy Tab S10 Lite caught my attention for (at least) one simple reason.

I’ve been a fan of Samsung’s Fan Edition (no pun intended) initiative right off the bat, but as the product roster has expanded from affordable high-end phones to affordable smartwatches, tablets, and wireless earbuds, I feel like the world’s top handset vendor is losing its focus and direction rather than truly enlarging the program’s mass appeal.

Who are the Galaxy Buds 3 FE for?

I know what you’re inclined to answer strictly based on that name – folks who can’t afford the Galaxy Buds 3 or Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. After all, the Galaxy S24 FE’s target audience consists of Samsung fans unable to buy the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, S25 Edge, or S25 Ultra, and we can expect the same type of relationship to be formed (relatively) soon between the Galaxy S25 FE and the S26 family.

There’s only one problem with that argument. The Galaxy Buds 3 Fan Edition is priced higher than the “vanilla” Galaxy Buds 3 model. Yup, you read that right, these “budget-friendly” new earbuds are set to cost $150 in the US starting in a few weeks, while the non-Pro 2024-released Buds 3 can be had at the time of this writing for as little as $125 (with no trade-in) straight from their manufacturer.

Am I the only one who doesn’t understand why the Galaxy Buds 3 FE are so expensive? | Image Credit — Samsung

Technically, of course, $125 is not the regular price of the Galaxy Buds 3, so it may not feel fair to compare that with how much the Galaxy Buds 3 FE will cost at launch. But that’s exactly what prospective buyers are going to be looking at when deciding what to spend their money on.

The Galaxy Buds 3 FE’s other (possibly bigger) issue is that the first-gen Galaxy Buds FE are “typically” available for $99.99 and very frequently discounted to $69.99 and even less. Now, I get that the new edition is vastly improved (which is why it’s not called Galaxy Buds 2 FE), but let’s all imagine a 50 percent more expensive Galaxy S25 FE (or, heck, Galaxy S26 FE) than the S24 FE.

That’s not the same thing, I know, but a $50 price hike in the wireless earbuds arena is also clearly not equivalent to a $50 increase for a phone… or smartwatch. So, yes, even if the S25 FE or the Galaxy Watch FE’s (hypothetical) sequel were to cost $100 more than their predecessors, we’d all be quick to discard their chances at racking up decent sales numbers.

Now, I could compare the Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 FE’s features and find that the newer and technically humbler model actually holds a few key advantages in departments like battery life and ambient noise reduction. But I believe that’s beside the point. Let’s face it, a lot of people tend to do little to no research when shopping for a new gadget, so I’m afraid that the Galaxy Buds 3 FE are pretty much DOA due to their price tag and, well, name. If these were called Galaxy Buds 4 (with the exact same design, capabilities, and recommended pricing), this discussion would have an entirely different tone, but alas, here we are.

Who is the Galaxy Tab S10 Lite for?

Technically, the unreleased mid-range tablet that essentially holds no more secrets after yesterday’s incredibly detailed leak is not part of the Fan Edition family. But I feel like the Galaxy Tab S10 Lite is very much part of Samsung’s larger product branding and release problems, looking set to see daylight just a few months after the Galaxy Tab S10 FE with an annoyingly similar design and a terribly confusing name.

While I initially felt like the Tab S10 FE’s existence made the Tab S10 Lite unnecessary, I’ve started to think over the last couple of days that the situation might actually be reversed. The Galaxy Tab S10 Lite should have been released under the Galaxy Tab S10 FE name, which would have allowed Samsung’s non-flagship slate to better compete against Apple’s surprisingly affordable 2025 iPad Air duo.

Leaked Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite image in Coral Red

The Tab S10 Lite might be humbler than the Tab S10 FE, but this Coral Red colorway is fire. | Image Credit — WinFuture

Yes, the Tab S10 Lite will come with humbler specs than the Tab S10 FE, but that Exynos 1380 SoC, those 8 and 5MP cameras, and the 25W charging speeds may well be advanced enough for plenty of hardcore Samsung fans on tight budgets.

As things stand, unfortunately, I believe the Tab S10 Lite’s impending announcement will only harm its maker’s already confusing tablet portfolio, making it far too crowded and repetitive for many folks to understand what the best Android tablet option for their budget might be.

Because it’s probably too late to do anything about that, Samsung should take a few seconds months to find the best way to further expand and advance the Fan Edition program. This clearly ain’t it, and I’d be really bummed out to see FE devices go the way of the dodo… or the Galaxy Note family soon due to brand dilution and a chronic lack of focus.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian’s passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for ‘adequate’ over ‘overpriced’.

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The Galaxy Buds 3 FE, Tab S10 Lite, and Samsung’s whole Fan Edition program make zero sense to me

Who are the Galaxy Buds 3 FE for?

Who is the Galaxy Tab S10 Lite for?

“Iconic Phones” is coming this Fall!

LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP FOR EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS HERE

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