Google’s new cheap Pixel Buds may have leaked before their expected launch with the next Pixel phones later this month
- New Pixel Buds 2a leak shows what appears to be an updated design
- No spec details as yet, but three colors have been revealed
- Expect an official launch on August 20
We’ve been getting lots of leaks and rumors in the run up to the official unveiling of the Google Pixel 10 series, which is happening on Wednesday, August 20. And the latest one appears to spill key details of the latest cheap Pixel Buds that will launch alongside the phones.
The images, which appear to be renders for marketing materials, come via Android Headlines. AH says that while there’s not a huge amount of detail just yet, the earbuds are called the Pixel Buds 2a and they’re the successor to the Pixel Buds A-Series earbuds Google announced way back in 2021. That’s a long time in headphone years, but Google tends to update its earbuds at a much more leisurely pace than its rivals.
Google Pixel Buds 2a: what we know so far
The leak says that there will be multiple color options including the Iris color shown in the renders, plus Strawberry and Fog Light. The expectation is that these new buds will deliver better sound and battery life than the existing version, which seems like a safe bet.
There were two key issues with the originals that hopefully the new Pixel Buds 2a will address: the A Series weren’t the most comfortable buds for long wear, and we found the sound quality to be a bit fatiguing. Given how competitive and fast-moving the world Android-friendly entries among the best earbuds has become, I’m hoping we’ll see significant improvements in both of those areas.
We’re expecting to see these new earbuds alongside the other Pixel products on August 20, and they should be priced keenly: the original Pixel Buds A Series were $99 / £99 (about AU$140) when they launched, and while electronics prices have gone up significantly since then (and may go up further: I’m writing this just hours after dozens of new US import tariffs were introduced by the Trump administration) Google’s going to want to keep them competitively priced.
By comparison, Apple’s recently launched non-ANC AirPods (4th Gen) launched at $129 / £129 / AU$219, so if Google can match or undercut that, it seems like it’s playing at the right level.
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