What Is Samsung Hearapy?
In March 2026, Samsung launched Hearapy as a feature within Samsung Health on Galaxy devices. Hearapy plays a specific 100Hz sound frequency through Galaxy Buds earbuds to help reduce motion sickness symptoms like nausea, dizziness, and cold sweats during travel.
The feature made headlines because it offered a genuinely novel approach to an age-old problem. Instead of pills, patches, or wristbands, Hearapy uses sound therapy to directly interact with the vestibular system -- the part of your inner ear responsible for balance and spatial orientation.
Samsung did not invent this approach from scratch. The technology is grounded in real academic research that predates Hearapy by several years. That research is what makes both Hearapy and RideCalm possible.
The Nagoya University Research Behind Both Apps
The foundation for 100Hz sound therapy comes from a study conducted by researchers at Nagoya University in Japan, published in the journal Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine in March 2025.
The study involved 82 participants across three different motion scenarios: a controlled swing, a driving simulator, and a real vehicle. Researchers found that exposing participants to a 100Hz pure tone for just 60 seconds significantly reduced motion sickness symptoms compared to control groups.
The mechanism works through the otolith organs -- specifically the utricle and saccule in the inner ear. These tiny structures contain calcium carbonate crystals that respond to linear acceleration and gravity. The 100Hz vibration stimulates these organs, helping the brain reconcile conflicting signals from the eyes and vestibular system.
"The 100Hz frequency was selected because it resonates optimally with the otolith organs, providing vestibular stimulation that reduces the sensory conflict responsible for motion sickness." -- Nagoya University research team
The key finding: a brief 60-second exposure could provide symptom reduction lasting up to 2 hours. This is what both Samsung Hearapy and RideCalm are built upon.
How RideCalm Brings the Same Science to iPhone
Samsung Hearapy is exclusive to Galaxy devices and optimized specifically for Galaxy Buds. If you own an iPhone -- or prefer using AirPods, Sony, Bose, or any other headphones -- Hearapy simply is not an option for you.
That is where RideCalm comes in. RideCalm implements the same 100Hz pure tone protocol from the Nagoya University research, but it is designed specifically for iOS and works with any headphones you already own.
The app generates a precise 100Hz sine wave using the device's audio engine. You put on your headphones, tap play, listen for 60 seconds, and then enjoy reduced motion sickness symptoms for up to 2 hours. It is the same science, the same frequency, and the same protocol -- just available to everyone, not only Samsung Galaxy users.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Here is how the two apps stack up across the features that matter most for travelers:
| Feature | RideCalm | Samsung Hearapy |
|---|---|---|
| 100Hz Sound Therapy | ✓ | ✓ |
| iPhone Support | ✓ | ✗ |
| Any Headphones | ✓ | Galaxy Buds only |
| Dedicated App | Standalone app | Inside Samsung Health |
| Relief Countdown Timer | ✓ (2-hour timer) | ✗ |
| Trip Log | Car, bus, train, plane, boat, VR | ✗ |
| Feeling Tracker | 5-level rating system | ✗ |
| Session History | Full stats and streaks | ✗ |
| Background Audio | ✓ | ✓ |
| Volume Calibration | Built-in guide | Manual |
| Free Trial | First session free | Included with Galaxy |
Why Sound Therapy Is the Future of Motion Sickness Relief
For decades, the go-to options for motion sickness have been medications like Dramamine (which causes drowsiness), scopolamine patches (which require a prescription and have side effects), and acupressure wristbands (which have limited evidence supporting them).
Sound therapy represents a fundamentally different approach. Here is why it stands out:
- No medication side effects. Unlike antihistamines that cause drowsiness, sound therapy has no known adverse effects. You stay alert and clearheaded.
- Rapid onset. Medications often need 30-60 minutes to take effect. Sound therapy works in 60 seconds.
- Non-invasive. No patches, no pills, no injections. Just put on your headphones.
- Addresses the root cause. Rather than masking symptoms, 100Hz stimulation works directly on the vestibular system to reduce the sensory conflict that causes motion sickness.
- Always available. Your headphones are already in your pocket. No need to plan ahead, visit a pharmacy, or carry extra supplies.
Samsung bringing Hearapy to Galaxy devices was a strong signal that major technology companies see merit in this approach. It validated years of academic research and opened the door for broader adoption. RideCalm ensures that this breakthrough is not limited to a single ecosystem -- it brings the same research-backed approach to the hundreds of millions of iPhone users worldwide.
Which Should You Choose?
The answer is straightforward. If you use a Samsung Galaxy phone with Galaxy Buds, Hearapy is a convenient built-in option. If you use an iPhone -- or if you want to use your own preferred headphones with any device -- RideCalm is your best option.
RideCalm also offers features that Hearapy does not: a 2-hour relief countdown timer so you know exactly when to re-play, a trip log for tracking different travel scenarios, a feeling tracker to monitor your response over time, and complete session history with statistics.
Both apps are built on the same Nagoya University research. Both use the same 100Hz frequency. The difference is accessibility and the experience around it. RideCalm was designed from the ground up as a dedicated motion sickness relief app, not an add-on feature inside a general health platform.
