Google Could Launch A Pixel Buds Upgrade To Compete With AirPods Pro
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Fans of going wireless may have something new to look forward to — a new leak points to Google planning to release a new set of Pixel Buds, this time dubbed the Pixel Buds Pro, implying they'd be a high-end version of the earbuds. If the news proves to be true, the new Buds will launch as a follow-up to the existing Pixel Buds A-Series, which are reasonably affordable compared to Apple's AirPods Pro. However, would the new Google Pixel Buds Pro truly be a match for Apple's wireless earphones in anything other than price?
Before we dive into the specifics, let us warn you — Google hasn't exactly said anything official about planning to launch new Pixel Buds. However, the idea is not at all outlandish, and it comes just a week before Google's annual I/O conference, set to take place on May 11-12, 2022. The grapevine has been buzzing with rumors of possible Google releases to be announced during this conference.
We expect that Google will use its conference to talk about Android 13 with all of its updates. It's also possible that we may see a new Pixel tablet, a Pixel foldable phone, a low-end Pixel 6a in advance of the Pixel 7 (likely appearing this Fall), or a new smartwatch. What about the Pixel Buds, though? Tech analyst Jon Prosser on Twitter now joined the list of Google leakers and announced that the Google Pixel Buds Pro are likely "coming soon."
Can Google beat Apple?
In his tweet, Jon Prosser predicts that the Google Pixel Buds Pro would launch soon in a total of four colors: Real Red, Carbon, Limoncello, and Fog. These color names are specific enough to give some gravity to theory, although there is no telling how soon these Pixel Buds Pro will come into being. If they are, indeed, announced at the Google I/O, they would likely make it to the market before the end of the year. However, Prosser hasn't revealed what makes these new earbuds "Pro," with regard to how they'll stand out in order to rival the (presumably much more expensive) Apple AirPods Pro. In order to truly decide, we'd have to know more about the specifications of these earphones, and as it stands now, we know next to nothing.
Google's current top wireless earbuds are the Google Pixel Buds A-Series, priced at $99. On the surface, they look much like many other, similarly priced earbuds. They have silicone tips, come in two colors (Dark Olive and Clearly White), and offer up to 5 hours of listening time on a single charge. As is the case with most Google devices, the buds are fully Google Assistant-compatible, delivering features similar to Apple's Siri. However, they lack active noise cancelation (ANC), which is something that the $250 Apple AirPods Pro (currently discounted to $175) can provide.
If, and when, these Google Pixel Buds Pro are released, they are somewhat likely to be cheaper than Apple's AirPods Pro. However, whether they will be worth the money will depend entirely on the features they'll be able to provide. We reviewed the basic Apple AirPods 3 a while back and liked what we saw (and heard), so Google will have a fairly high mark to beat with the Pixel Buds Pro.