Over 45 million data points have gone into the design of the second-gen Pixel Buds Pro, while Google’s taken on a watch now works with two wrist sizes.
New phones might have been the majority of what Google talked up at this week’s Pixel launch, but they weren’t the only big deals from the company.
A new wearable or two made an appearance, as did a new pair of earbuds, and each aims to give Android owners something new to look forward to. That’ll include folks interested in the assortment of new Pixels, of course, but with Google being the makers of Android, it means Android owners of all kinds could find their way to a Pixel earbuds and wearable. So what’s new?
The new Pixel Watch 3
First there’s a new Pixel Watch, or even two of the things.
The Pixel Watch 3 follows on from the sleek rounded design of the Pixel Watch 2 before it, and even the original Pixel Watch that came first. The design is roughly the same, the material choice with aluminium is roughly the same, but now you’ll get a choice of two sizes, not just one: 41mm and 45mm.
Both are technically bigger — the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 has 10 percent more screen than its predecessor, while the 45mm option is roughly 40 percent larger. Aside for bigger screens, they’re also brighter, supporting Google’s Actua display technology used on its phones.
Those screens will be LTPO AMOLED displays protected by a custom layer of Corning 3D Gorilla Glass, as Google skips over the sapphire glass used in Samsung’s wearables, opting for the same sort of glass used in its phones.
They also come with an assortment of health-tracking features, notably including an automatic workout builder to plan workouts using AI and develop runs like a running coach.
Fitbit’s workout expertise is built into the hardware, and you may as well think of the Pixel Watch 3 as the next generation of the Fitbit smartwatch, because that is largely what it seems to be. Some of those smarts include understanding how running impacts heart-rate sensing and tracking, which Google says has been improved in this generation.
That’s not the only thing said to have been improved, either. Battery life has reportedly been made better, supporting 24 hours while the always-on display is in use, and up to 36 hours with battery saver switched on. Google’s WearOS 5 helps out here, it seems, but so does a larger battery in the 45mm Pixel Watch 3, which is also going to improve that battery life, too.
There are other features on the way, such as the Pixel Voice Recorder app, as well as the ultra-wideband chip being used for presence detection with a Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL, allowing you to quickly unlock those phones when the watch is nearby, much like you can do with an iPhone and an Apple Watch.
Google is also supporting its other pieces of hardware on its watch, rolling out a watch-based remote for Google TVs likely including the new TV Streamer, and a video view for the Google Doorbell.
Pixel Buds Pro 2 with a Google chip inside
Google’s other big item this week is a pair of earbuds, and it’s not just a basic update, but rather one that’s more complex.
Two years ago, Google decided to take on the AirPods Pro with its own variation on the noise cancelling truly wireless theme, and the Pixel Buds Pro were born.
Similar but different, they offered great sound in a comfortable and sweat-resistant design, but there was nothing exceptional about them, and spatial audio came later provided you had a compatible phone. In short, there were better options out there, and Google didn’t exactly have the lead.
Two years on, Google has been doing more research and is back with a new pair. The second coming of the Pixel Buds Pro, will see some improvements in just about everywhere, as Google reworks its return to earbuds for the better.
The new pair are the unsurprisingly-named Pixel Buds Pro 2, and they are Google’s first earbuds developed for the Gemini era, the company claims. That means they’ll handle a degree of AI and process audio using artificial intelligence, which in the Buds Pro 2 means adapting up to three million times per second.
Google’s conversational AI Gemini Live will also play a part, and provided you have a subscription, you’ll be able to have a talk with Google’s artificial intelligence from the earphones themselves. That’s a similar approach to what Nothing is trying with its ChatGPT-connected earbuds, but perhaps with a Google spin on things.
At the heart of them is a new chip, and one Google has made: the Tensor A1. We’re guessing the “A” stands for audio, but it’s Google’s first audio processing chip, and one that is custom-made for the earphones. In fact, it’s Google’s first expansion for the Tensor processors outside of phones and tablets, providing speedy processing for AI and sound.
The Pixel Buds Pro 2 aren’t just about AI, because you might not even use the stuff. The earphones will see improvements to mids and a better seal for noise cancellation, as well as up to 8 hours hours of battery life with active noise cancellation switched on and up to 30 in the charging case. There are other features, such as touch controls, IP54 water resistance, and an 11mm driver to handle the sound.
Of particular note may well be the fit, which Google says is the most comfortable and most secure fit yet for a Pixel pair of earbuds. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are 27 percent smaller than the first-gen model and around 24 percent lighter, and the design was finalised from lots of ear scans resulting in 45 million data points. In a way, it’s as if Google built its own Plantronics Wall of Ears, except digitally, building earbuds out of that research.
Australian pricing and availability
Google’s Pixel Buds Pro will cost a little more than their $299 predecessor, fetching $379 locally when they land in late September.
Meanwhile, the Pixel Watch 3 will start at $579 for a Bluetooth/WiFi 41mm model, while the LTE equivalent will cost $749 in Australia. The larger 45mm Pixel Watch 3 will start from $669 for the Bluetooth and WiFi option, while the LTE-supported equivalent will cost $839 locally.
You can expect the Pixel Watch 3 in just a few weeks, too, expected in stores in Australia from September 10.
