Samsung's latest motion sickness app may have been more effective as a feature for Galaxy Buds.

      Travel nausea has always been an unwanted companion during road trips, flights, and other journeys. I've experienced it since childhood, and even now, if I’m not the one driving, enduring longer rides can be quite challenging. Although I never mentioned this to Samsung, it seems they have come up with a solution.

      The Korean tech company has discreetly introduced a free app named Hearapy, a blend of hearing and therapy, to address motion sickness through audio therapy. The idea is straightforward: you open the app, insert your earbuds, and let it play.

      Shikhar Mehrotra / DigitalTrends

      How does sound help with nausea?

      The app provides a precisely tuned 100 Hz bass sine wave at approximately 85 dB, similar in volume to a lawnmower but much less annoying. So how does this alleviate my travel nausea? Allow me to explain quickly.

      Motion sickness arises from a sensory conflict between the inner ear and the eyes. While your vestibular system senses movement, if your eyes are fixed on a phone screen or a book, they report no movement to your brain, triggering a defensive response we recognize as motion sickness.

      Samsung's Hearapy, supported by research from Japan's Nagoya University, adjusts the balance system and alleviates motion sickness symptoms for up to two hours. For it to be effective, you need to listen to the 100 Hz sine wave in both ears for at least 60 seconds.

      Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

      Is the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro necessary?

      Samsung suggests the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro as the most suitable hardware, particularly because they have a mid-bass driver that is nearly 20% larger than its predecessor, adaptive noise cancellation with six microphones, and 24-bit/96 kHz audio support via the SSC-UHQ codec.

      All of these features enhance the Buds 4's ability to deliver the necessary sound effectively. However, even without Samsung's latest wireless earbuds, the app is compatible with most earbuds that can produce 100 Hz sound. Thus, while Samsung's pitch holds true, the premium hardware isn't an absolute necessity.

      Although the Hearapy app was introduced on Samsung’s German website, it is now available on the Google Play Store in the United States and India, even compatible with non-Samsung smartphones, which is a great advantage.

      Shikhar Mehrotra / DigitalTrends

      The app could have been a feature of Galaxy Buds

      I tested the app on a Pixel and found it to have a very simple interface with a single button in the center that plays the 100 Hz sound. Whether it effectively alleviates my motion sickness remains to be seen during my next passive drive.

      It can also be used without headphones, but the phone's speakers may not be sufficient. Considering the app's size and limited functionality, I believe it would be better as an integrated feature in the Galaxy Buds firmware, easily accessible from the quick settings menu.

      For me, listening to my favorite music on my AirPods (since I primarily use an iPhone) has always been my go-to trick. Regardless, you can download and test the Hearapy app yourself to see if it’s beneficial.

      It's also noteworthy that Google is working on a similar feature for Android 17, which will display rows of animated dots along the screen's edges that move in sync with your vehicle's motion. iPhones already have a comparable feature known as “Vehicle Motion Cues.”