Samsung has decided to stop including wired earbuds with its flagship phones in North America, saying that customers here are opting for Bluetooth solutions instead. That said, we're hearing that Samsung USA's customer service will ship you a pair of the wired earbuds for your Galaxy Note20 or Note20 Ultra if you ask nicely.

The AKG-branded USB-C earbuds are included in the retail box for Note20s sold in Europe, but Samsung USA says that "usage of wired headphones... has steadily declined," and thus made the decision not to include them here. That sucks for those of us in North America, as those USB-C buds are of pretty decent quality, but there's apparently a way to request and receive them, presumably for free.

According to SamMobile, Samsung USA has stated, "for those customers that prefer the USB-C wired headphones, our customer care team can offer them on request." It's not explicitly said anywhere that Samsung is sending them to any Note20 buyer who asks for them for free, but it seems only logical if the company went as far as to make this statement. Otherwise, I would imagine Samsung would simply point to the link on their website, where the earbuds can be purchased for $29.99. (They're also available for $14.99 on Amazon, for what it's worth.)

So if you're in the US and buying a Note20 or Note20 Ultra, and you want your USB-C earbuds, calling, emailing, or live chatting Samsung support should be a good start.