At Made by Google 2023, Google made some big announcements, from the refreshed Pixel 8 series to the brand new Pixel Watch 2. But that wasn’t all they announced: They also shared details about some great updates to the Pixel Buds Pro.
A little about Pixel Buds Pro
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Google didn’t announce a successor to the current Pixel Buds Pro: They’re still selling the earbuds you’ve come to know, with custom-designed 11mm dynamic speaker drivers and Active Noise Cancellation with Transparency mode that can adapt to your ear.
Like other Google products, the Pixel Buds Pro also offers quick access to Google Assistant by saying “Hey, Google.” You can listen with the earbuds for up to seven hours with ANC on and 11 hours with ANC off. The charging case has wireless charging and a USB-C port and offers an additional 31 hours of listening time.
Google is giving the current Buds Pro an update
Google regularly sends out updates for the earbuds to add new features without needing to make new earbuds altogether. Here’s what’s new this fall.
The first new feature is called Bluetooth Super Wideband, which doubles the bandwidth of the earbuds, so voices on phone calls sound fuller and clearer. The earbuds also now support Clear Calling, a feature that debuted on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Clear Calling uses AI to cancel out and reduce noise, and enhances a caller’s voice on both ends of a call.
Then there’s Conversation Detection, which uses AI to detect when you start talking. When you speak, the earbuds will pause your music and switch to the Transparency mode. Once you’re done talking, it’ll resume music playback and turn ANC on.
For those who game on their phone, there’s a new low-latency gaming mode for the Pixel Buds Pro. The new mode will work when you open a compatible game, and should cut your audio latency in half. No one wants to see something happen on-screen, then hear it in their earbuds half a second later. You’ll also find wellness stats in the Pixel Buds app that show how loud you’ve been listening to your music, and suggests when you should lower the volume.
If you’re not just an Android user, the Pixel Buds app for Pixel Buds Pro is now available for Chromebooks, so it’s easier to change settings, install updates and more.
And while Google isn’t coming out with Pixel Buds Pro 2 or anything, there is something to entice new buyers: In addition to the new features in the latest Pixel Buds Pro update, Google also unveiled two new color options—Bay (blue) and Porcelain (beige). Of course, the earbuds are also available in Charcoal, Fog, Lemongrass and Coral.
Pixel Buds Pro is available now for $199 from the following retailers: