Pixel Buds

In today's world, Pixel Buds is a topic of great relevance and interest to a wide spectrum of people. Whether on a personal, professional or academic level, Pixel Buds has captured the attention of individuals of all ages and occupations. Its impact and influence are evident in various areas, from popular culture to science and technology. In this article, we will explore in detail the phenomenon of Pixel Buds and its meaning in modern society, analyzing its implications and consequences in different contexts.

First-generation Pixel Buds
DeveloperGoogle
ManufacturerGoertek (first-generation)
Product familyPixel
TypeWireless earbuds
Release date
First-generation:
November 2017
  • Canada
  • United States
February 2018
  • Australia
  • Germany
  • United Kingdom

Second-generation:

April 2020
  • United States
July 2020
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • France
  • Germany
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Singapore
  • Spain
  • United Kingdom

Pixel Buds A-Series:

June 2021
  • Canada
  • United States
August 2021
  • France
  • Germany
  • Ireland
  • India
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • United Kingdom

Pixel Buds Pro:

July 2022
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • France
  • Germany
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Singapore
  • Spain
  • Taiwan
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
InputMicrophone, accelerometer, capacitive touchpad
Connectivity
Current firmware553 (February 2021)
Dimensions
  • Earbuds
  • 0.8 x 0.8 x 0.8 in
  • (20.4 x 20.4 x 20.5 mm)
  • Charging Case
  • 2.6 x 2.6 x 1.1 in
  • (66.2 x 65.5 x 28.6 mm)
Mass
  • Earbuds
  • 0.49 ounces (14 g)
  • Charging Case
  • 1.5 ounces (43 g)
WebsiteGoogle Store

The Pixel Buds is a line of wireless earbuds developed and marketed by Google. The first-generation Pixel Buds were launched on October 4, 2017, at the Made by Google launch event, and became available for preorder on the Google Store the same day. They have the Google Assistant built-in and support Google Translate.

The second-generation Pixel Buds (sometimes known as Pixel Buds 2 or Pixel Buds 2020 to distinguish them from the first-generation earbuds) were announced at the Pixel 4 hardware event on October 15, 2019. They were released on April 27, 2020 and debuted to positive reviews.

In June 2021, Google announced the Pixel Buds A-Series, a mid-range variant of the second-generation Pixel Buds. In May 2022, Google announced the Pixel Buds Pro, a premium variant of the Pixel Buds with additional features including active noise cancellation.

First-generation

The Pixel Buds were announced at Google's annual hardware event on October 4, 2017, alongside its second-generation Pixel 2 smartphone. Color choices for the Pixel Buds complemented the Pixel 2, and carried the same names: Just Black, Clearly White, and Kinda Blue, referring to the color of the circular plastic cap visible in the ear. After the second-generation Pixel Buds were announced in October 2019, Google removed the first-generation from its store.

Physical design

The industrial design team was led by Gina Reimann.

The first-generation Pixel Buds consist of two earbuds linked by a fabric-covered cord, which connect wirelessly over a Bluetooth 4.2 connection. The earbuds are an "open-air" design, where the driver rests just outside the user's ear canal, and there is relatively little isolation from outside sounds. Each earbud is secured physically into the user's concha by a short loop of the cord; the length of the loop is individually adjustable to better fit each user. The earbuds are powered by a 120 mA-hr battery stored in the left earbud, and provide five hours of listening time before needing to be recharged.

The earbuds are stored in a fabric-covered case with an internal battery and USB-C connection; the storage case charges the earbuds, and the USB-C port charges the battery of the storage case. Once the earbuds have been placed in the appropriate sockets, the cord connecting them is wound and stored in a specific manner, illustrated on the inside of the upper lid, to allow the case to close. The case also has a button to pair the earbuds manually and LED indicators to communicate the state of charge and pairing readiness. The battery in the charging case has a 2.39 W-hr capacity, providing enough energy for 24 hours of earbud operation.

Pixel Buds (Gen 1) color schemes
Name Cap Accent
Just Black Black White
Clearly White White Coral
Kinda Blue Blue Seafoam

Features

The distinguishing feature of Pixel Buds is their inclusion of the Google Assistant, a smart voice assistant. This allows the earbuds to translate conversations in real-time, among other standard features such as web search and media connectivity. It supports translation of 40 different languages. Based on the October 2017 demonstration, early coverage compared the Pixel Buds' translation capabilities to that of the fictional Babel fish from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams; however, in a review for Wired, James Temperton called the feature as released "a bit of a con", as the Pixel Buds merely provided a microphone and speaker for transcription and machine translation powered by Google Translate running on a smartphone: "to speak speak English to a German who then replies in German that's translated into English you will need: two Google Pixel 2 phones and two Google Pixel Buds headsets. And even then you'll likely spend most of the conversation staring awkwardly into middle-distance while Assistant tries to work out what the hell is going on. Long rant cut short: you don't actually need the Pixel Buds to do this, they're an entirely pointless accessory."

The surface of the right earbud is touch-sensitive: a tap will play or pause audio, swiping forward or backward will raise or lower the volume, respectively, and tapping and holding will bring up the Google Assistant prompt. Double-tapping will read a notification aloud. Triple-Tapping will connect/disconnect the Pixel Buds from their source. The Pixel Buds do not have ear-sensing features, so audio playback does not automatically pause and the touch-sensitive surface remains active after the earbuds are removed; the surface is deactivated once the earbuds are seated properly in the charging case.

The Pixel Buds also introduced a "fast pair" feature to Android; with a smartphone that runs Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or higher with the Bluetooth radio active, opening the lid of the case will bring up a notification prompting the user to pair the earbuds with the phone. The button of the case also can be used to pair the Pixel Buds manually as needed.

Criticism

Reception of the Pixel Buds was mostly negative, with much of the criticism aimed towards its storage case and the awkward steps required to seat the earbuds and wind the cord properly. Google's support page tells the user to "press down to make sure the charging pins are firmly in place", despite the presence of magnets to help align and retain the Pixel Buds in their storage case.

In 2018, Google announced "Google Translate is available on all Assistant-optimized headphones and Android phones." By opening the service to more devices, researcher Matic Horvat hypothesized that Google was seeking more inputs to train its neural network for real-time, natural-language speech recognition.

Second-generation

Pixel Buds (Gen 2) colors
Name Cap
Clearly White White
Oh So Orange Orange
Quite Mint Green
Almost Black Black

The second-generation Pixel Buds 2 were first announced at a Google hardware event on October 15, 2019 and released in the United States in April 2020. They were released in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Singapore, Spain, and the United Kingdom in July 2020. Initially, only the Clearly White color was available; the other three colors (Oh So Orange, Quite Mint (green), and Almost Black) were released four months later in the United States on August 20, 2020. Google quietly discontinued the orange color in April 2021, and all second-generation Pixel Buds were discontinued in favor of the Pixel Buds A-Series shortly after the latter were announced in June 2021.

Design & features

The design of the second-generation Pixel Buds was led by Luke Mastrangelo. For Google, Isabelle Olsson, Kenny Sweet, and Gina Reimann led the product design team.

Unlike the first-generation Pixel Buds, which had the earbud modules linked by a fabric-covered cable, the second-generation were implemented as two separate earbud modules. Each earbud has a small wing that rests against the concha to secure it in place instead of the short cord loop. In addition, each earbud has a soft rubber tip designed to slide into the user's ear canal, providing some passive noise cancellation; three pairs of tips in different sizes to customize the fit are bundled with the second-generation Pixel Buds. The colored circular dome that protrudes slightly from the ear uses the same touch and gesture controls from the first-generation Pixel Buds, with double-tap (skip track) and triple-tap (go back one track) inputs added. In addition, for the second-generation, both earbuds are touch-sensitive.

The second-generation Pixel Buds also featured hands-free Google Assistant activation; instead of having to tap and hold, users could use the voice prompt "Hey Google" to bring up the Assistant.

The storage case, which also charged the earbuds, measures 63 mm × 47 mm × 25 mm (2.48 in × 1.85 in × 0.98 in) and is comparable in size and design to the storage/charging case that Apple supplies with its AirPods. Its shape and size were inspired by a weathered rock taken from Asilomar State Beach. The sockets are equipped with magnets to secure each earbud and align it with the charging pins. Compared to the first-generation Pixel Buds storage case, the second-generation added wireless charging and retained the USB-C charging port for its internal battery.

Reception

Reports of audio dropouts and intermittent connectivity began circulating soon after the second-generation Pixel Buds were delivered to customers, occurring most notably outdoors or when the user turned their head. Multiple firmware updates were issued to address connectivity issues, but some users reported having to turn off features to retain basic functionality. Google later explained the second-generation Pixel Buds connect in series: the right earbud connects to the phone, and the left earbud connects to the right, which serves to relay signals to and from the left earbud; the issue later was attributed to interference over the Bluetooth connection. Because the serial connection scheme was part of the basic design, the connection issues could not be fixed in firmware.

Pixel Buds A-Series

Pixel Buds (A) colors
Name Cap
Clearly White White
Dark Olive Green
Charcoal Gray
Sea Light blue

On June 3, 2021, Google announced the Pixel Buds A-Series, a mid-range variant of the second-generation Pixel Buds that largely share the same external design. They were released on June 17, 2021 in the United States and Canada. In August, they were further released in France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. As released in June 2021, the A-Series was available initially in Clearly White and Dark Olive (green) colors; in October 2022, a Charcoal (dark grey) color was added; in May 2023, a Sea (light blue) color was added.

Design & features

Industrial design of the Pixel Buds A-Series again was led by Gina Reimann for Google, heading a team that included Dustin Lee and Jeremiah Baker.

The Pixel Buds A-Series share the design of the second-generation Pixel Buds, made up of three components: two independent earbud modules stored in a flip-top charging case. The A-Series earbuds also share the rubber "stabilizer arc" design to secure the earbud into the user's concha; Google stated they had softened the rubber in the A-Series to enhance user comfort. In addition, the A-Series retained the enhanced touch controls from the second-generation Pixel Buds, with one exception: the swipe volume control gestures were removed. To address the connectivity issues of the second-generation Pixel Buds, the A-Series earbuds each connect to the device independently rather than using a serial/relay connection scheme. Externally, the second-generation Pixel Buds use three charging pins and have a metal output nozzle, while the A-Series have two pins and a plastic nozzle.

The A-series case is the same size as the second-generation Pixel Buds case and likewise is equipped with magnets to hold the earbuds in place and secure the lid; it also has a USB-C connection to charge the case battery. However, unlike the second-generation Pixel Buds case, the A-Series charging case did not have wireless charging capability. Physically, the interior of the A-Series charging case is finished in glossy plastic matching the color of the earbuds; the second-generation Pixel Buds charging case interior is always black with a pebbled finish. In addition, the second-generation Pixel Buds charging case has two LED indicators, one inside the lid (for the charging status of the earbuds) and one external (for the charging and pairing statuses of the case); the A-Series charging case has only the one external indicator that combines both functions.

Pixel Buds Pro

Pixel Buds Pro (coral), in case

On May 11, 2022, Google announced the Pixel Buds Pro, a premium variant of the Pixel Buds, during the 2022 Google I/O keynote. They were released on July 28, 2022, in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. They were available initially in four colors: Charcoal (dark grey), Coral (orange-red), Fog (light blue), and Lemongrass (light yellow-green). With the launch of the Pixel 8 in October 2023, Google introduced two additional colors: Bay (pastel blue) and Porcelain (light gray).

Design & features

Pixel Buds Pro was the first generation to introduce Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and transparency modes; in ANC mode, the Pixel Buds Pro will reduce background noise, while in transparency mode, the Pro will amplify external noises to facilitate conversations without removing the earbuds. The touch-and-hold gesture can be set independently for the left and right earbuds; by default, one is set to activate the Google Assistant while the other is set to toggle between ANC and transparency modes. Physically, the earbuds have removed the "stabilizer arc" that is used on both the second-generation and A-Series Pixel Buds; the Pro earbuds sit deeper in the wearer's cavum to overcome the Pro's increased size resulting from the larger battery and acoustic elements required for ANC. Each earbud has a silicone tip designed to slide into the user's ear canal, providing some passive noise cancellation.

Pixel Buds Pro colors
Name Cap
Coral Orange
Fog Light Blue
Charcoal Dark Gray
Lemongrass Yellow-Green
Bay Blue
Porcelain Light Gray

The charging case is largely similar to the prior second-generation and A-Series cases, but the Pro case is slightly larger to accommodate the larger earbuds and measures 63.2 mm × 50 mm × 25 mm (2.49 in × 1.97 in × 0.98 in).

Firmware updates after its initial release have added several features to the Pixel Buds Pro, including a five-band equalizer (Oct 2022) and a scheduled update for spatial audio with head tracking (Jan 2023). Conversation detection and further noise reduction features were added in October 2023.

Reception

Pixel Buds Pro received positive reviews from major tech review sources, being lauded for its comfort, improved antenna performance, and premium feel.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Google Pixel Buds Requirements & Specifications". Google Pixel Buds Help. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  2. ^ "A few new things made by Google" – via YouTube.
  3. ^ Carnoy, David. "Google Pixel Buds 2 review: They're the real deal". CNET. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  4. ^ "Here's how to get the new Google Pixel Buds 2 for $140 ($40 off) right now". Android Authority. April 27, 2020. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  5. ^ Hall, Parker (May 1, 2020). "Review: Google Pixel Buds (2020)". Wired. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  6. ^ Carman, Ashley (October 4, 2017). "Google's Pixel Buds are the company's first wireless headphones". The Verge. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  7. ^ Champy, Adam (October 4, 2017). "Google Pixel Buds — wireless headphones that help you do more". Google. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  8. ^ Schoon, Ben (October 15, 2019). "Google's original Pixel Buds are dead to make way for the new version". 9 to 5 Google. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  9. ^ "Google Pixel Buds (first-generation)". Gina Reimann.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Google Pixel Buds review: the future shouldn't be this awkward". The Verge. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  11. ^ a b Machkovech, Sam (November 20, 2017). "Pixel Buds review, OK Google, go back to the earbud drawing board". Ars Techinca. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Alvey, Justin (January 3, 2018). "Google Pixel Buds teardown and thoughts on humanizing computer interaction". Medium. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  13. ^ a b Schoon, Ben (November 17, 2017). "Review: Google's Pixel Buds are the smartest earbuds you can buy, but with some flaws". 9 to 5 Google. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Google Pixel Buds charging and status lights: Pixel Buds (2017)". Google Support. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  15. ^ Balakrishnan, Anita (October 4, 2017). "Google shows off wireless headphones that it says can translate languages on the fly". CNBC. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  16. ^ "Hello, Google Pixel Buds (and real-time translation). Goodbye, headphone jack". USA Today. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  17. ^ a b "Pixel Buds are Google's answer to AirPods". The Verge. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
  18. ^ Tarantola, A. (October 4, 2017). "Google's Pixel Buds translation will change the world". Engadget. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  19. ^ Temperton, James (December 7, 2017). "Google's Pixel Buds aren't just bad, they're utterly pointless". Wired. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  20. ^ Cipriani, Jason (November 13, 2017). "Pairing Google Pixel Buds to your phone is easy... kind of". CNet. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  21. ^ Heater, Brian. "A disappointing debut for Google's Pixel Buds". TechCrunch. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  22. ^ Estes, Adam Clark. "Google's Pixel Buds Aren't Even Close to Being Good". Gizmodo. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  23. ^ Porter, Jon. "The Pixel Buds' translation feature is coming to all headphones with Google Assistant". The Verge. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  24. ^ Leprince-Ringuet, Daphne (October 22, 2018). "Why is Google's live translation so bad? We asked some experts". Wired. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  25. ^ Waraich, Sandeep (October 15, 2019). "Meet the new Google Pixel Buds". Google. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  26. ^ "The new Google Pixel Buds are available today for your listening pleasure". Google. April 27, 2020.
  27. ^ Peters, Jay (August 20, 2020). "Google's Pixel Buds are now available in more colors nearly four months after launch". The Verge. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  28. ^ Li, Abner (August 20, 2020). "[Update: Best Buy] Google Pixel Buds (2020) in other colors start going on sale". 9to5Google. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  29. ^ Wang, Jules (August 20, 2020). "Pixel Buds 2 now available in all colors at Google Store". Android Police. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  30. ^ Li, Abner (April 11, 2021). "Google discontinues 'Oh So Orange' Pixel Buds, sold out at all retailers". 9 to 5 Google. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  31. ^ a b Schoon, Ben (May 21, 2022). "Pixel Buds Pro have to make up for Google's biggest earbud mistakes". 9 to 5 Google. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  32. ^ a b "Google Pixel Buds ". Luke Mastrangelo.
  33. ^ "Google Pixel Buds 2020 (second-generation)". Gina Reimann.
  34. ^ Patel, Nilay (October 15, 2019). "Pixel Buds 2 hands-on: Google takes on the AirPods". The Verge. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  35. ^ a b c Martonik, Andrew (June 9, 2021). "Google Pixel Buds 2020 review: These AirPods competitors were worth the wait". Android Central. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  36. ^ Cipriani, Jason (February 24, 2021). "Google's Pixel Buds 2 have some magical features. Here are 9 of them". CNet. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  37. ^ Dunn, Jeff (October 15, 2019). "Google takes another stab at headphones with new, totally wireless Pixel Buds". Ars Technica. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  38. ^ Machkovech, Sam (May 25, 2020). "Pixel Buds 2 review: These earbuds are 'much better than OK,' Google". Ars Technica. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  39. ^ Schoon, Ben (May 29, 2020). "Pixel Buds: Growing number of users report audio cutouts w/ Google's earbuds". 9 to 5 Google. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  40. ^ Martonik, Andrew (December 11, 2020). "Google Pixel Buds review, 2 months later: Still my favorite true wireless earbuds". Android Central. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  41. ^ Kellen (March 4, 2021). "Pixel Buds Bug Fixes Now Include People Just Turning Off Features". Droid Life. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  42. ^ a b Schoon, Ben (June 3, 2021). "Google fixed the frustrating audio cutouts on Pixel Buds A-Series — Here's how". 9 to 5 Google. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  43. ^ Wedel, Chris; Bader, Daniel (December 12, 2021). "Google Pixel Buds A-Series review: Surprisingly rock solid". Android Central. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  44. ^ a b c d Welch, Chris (June 3, 2021). "Google Pixel Buds A-Series review: price is everything". The Verge. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  45. ^ Welch, Chris (June 3, 2021). "Google announces $99 Pixel Buds A-Series". The Verge. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  46. ^ June 2021, Olivia Tambini 07 (June 7, 2021). "Google Pixel Buds A-Series price, release date, features, and specs". TechRadar.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  47. ^ Li, Abner (August 18, 2021). "Google launching Pixel Buds A-Series in more countries next week [Update: India]". 9to5Google. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  48. ^ Li, Abner (October 7, 2022). "Google quietly releases Pixel Buds A-Series in a new color". 9 to 5 Google. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  49. ^ Andrew Romero (May 10, 2023). "Pixel Buds A-Series launch in new 'Sea' color". 9 to 5 Google. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  50. ^ "Google Pixel Buds A-Series". Gina Reimann.
  51. ^ Rayome, Alison DeNisco (June 5, 2021). "Pixel Buds A vs. Pixel Buds 2: Every spec compared". CNet. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  52. ^ a b c Vasani, Sheena (May 11, 2022). "How the new Pixel Buds Pro measure up to Google's A-Series earbuds". The Verge. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  53. ^ Bursztynsky, Jessica (May 11, 2022). "Google announces its first smartwatch, a new budget phone and more". CNBC. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  54. ^ Kerns, Taylor (June 2, 2022). "Google Pixel Buds Pro: A buyer's guide to Google's best earbuds". Android Police. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  55. ^ Wagoner, Ara (July 21, 2022). "Which color Google Pixel buds Pro should you buy?". Android Police. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  56. ^ a b Welch, Chris (October 4, 2023). "Google announces new colors and features for its Pixel Buds Pro earbuds". The Verge. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  57. ^ Myrick, Andrew (August 1, 2022). "How to activate Transparency mode on the Pixel Buds Pro". Android Central. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  58. ^ "Cutaway view of Pixel Buds Pro". Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  59. ^ "Pixel Buds Pro: Tech Specs". Google Store. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  60. ^ Schenck, Stephen (October 11, 2022). "Google gives the Pixel Buds Pro their biggest upgrade yet with a 5-band custom EQ". Android Police. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  61. ^ Li, Abner (December 6, 2022). "Google details what apps will offer Spatial Audio on Pixel phones and Buds Pro". 9 to 5 Google. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  62. ^ Welch, Chris (July 28, 2022). "Google Pixel Buds Pro review: the sweet sound of redemption". The Verge. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  63. ^ Kerns, Taylor (October 19, 2022). "Google Pixel Buds Pro review: Fourth time's the charm". Android Police. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  64. ^ Lastoria, Jasper (September 30, 2022). "Google Pixel Buds Pro review". Sound Guys. Retrieved December 13, 2022.

External links

  • US D956018S, Gina Reimann; Luke David Mastrangelo & Maj Isabelle Olsson et al., "Wireless earbud", issued June 28, 2022, assigned to Google LLC 
  • US D955982S, Gina Reimann; Luke David Mastrangelo & Maj Isabelle Olsson et al., "Charging case for wireless earbuds", issued June 28, 2022, assigned to Google LLC 
  • US D932428S, Gina Reimann; Luke David Mastrangelo & Maj Isabelle Olsson et al., "Charging case for wireless earbuds", issued October 5, 2021, assigned to Google LLC 
  • US D890696S, Kenneth Sweet; Maj Isabelle Olsson & Peter Cazalet et al., "Earbud charging case", issued July 21, 2020, assigned to Google LLC 
  • US D867326S, Kenneth Sweet; Maj Isabelle Olsson & Peter Cazalet et al., "Wireless earbuds", issued November 19, 2019, assigned to Google LLC