Google Pixel Buds 2a introduce ANC but increase the price
Google just announced the second generation A-series Pixel Buds, brining ANC, a new design, replaceable case battery and more.
Announced on stage (with Jimmy Fallon for some reason) alongside the new Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and Pixel Watch 4, The Pixel Buds 2a bring news features to the more affordable A-series variant of earbuds. Google launched the first generation of A-series Pixel Buds over four years ago. At $99 they were a budget-friendly version of the Pro earbuds.
Available in two colors – Iris and Hazel, the Pixel Buds 2a feature a redesign to match the Pixel Buds Pro 2. Ditching the fins, the new earbuds adopt a twist-to-adjust design for comfort and fit, where twisting them in provides stability for working out, while untwisting them provides a more relaxed fit for all-day comfort while working. They are smaller and lighter than the first generation earbuds at 4.7 grams per bud, and 47.6 grams for the case and earbuds. They come with four eartips including extra small, small, medium (pre-fitted), and large. The earbuds are IP54 sweat and water resistant, while the case is IPX4 protected.
Internally there is a custom-designed 11mm speaker driver and new high-frequency chamber. A customizeable 5-band equalizer allows you to tweak the sound to your preferance. There are two mics on each bud with wind-blocking mesh covers, which alongside Google AI should provide clear calls.
The new Tensor A1 chip enables Active Noise Cancellation which was notably missing from the first generation A-series buds. Google says that ANC and Silent Seal 1.5 will provide 1.5x the noise cancellation of the first generation Pixel Buds Pro. There’s also a Transparency mode to stay aware of your surroundings.
The Pixel Buds 2a connect via Bluetooth 5.4, and feature Multipoint Connectivity with Seamless Audio Switching which detects the device actively playing media and switches accordingly. There’s Fast Pair for one-touch connection on compatible Android devices. The Find Hub app on Android gives you the precise location of your earbuds on a map. When you’re nearby, you can ring the buds or case to help locate them.
Spatial audio is available on Pixel Buds 2a, but no head tracking as on the pros. The Hearing Wellness feature gives you an overview of your listening behaviours, along with suggestions to help maintain health over time.
The outer surface of the buds feature touch controls to play/pause and skip tracks, answer calls or activate the voice assistant. Unfortunately there is no swiping for volume as on the Pro model. When paired with an Android device with the Gemini app, you also get hands-free access to Google’s AI assistant. Using the “Hey Google” wake word, you can summarize messages, reply to text, get recommendations, walking directions, brainstorm in real time, create custom playlists on YouTube Music and much more. Gemini Live enables back-and-forth free-flowing conversations.
With ANC turned off, you’ll get double the battery life at up to 10 hours on a single charge. This is up to 27 hours when including the case. These numbers are 7 hours and 20 hours when ANC is turned on. Five minutes in the case provides an hours of listening. The case battery is replaceable, which is a great addition, but it is currently unclear who will sell replacement batteries and for how much. There is unfortunately no wireless charging, nor a USB-C cable included in the box.
The Google Pixel Buds 2a are available for pre-order today for $129 and go on sale October 9. This is $30 more than the original Pixel Buds A-Series, but there are seemingly sufficient upgrades to warrant the increase.