Alongside the new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, as well as Pixel Watch 2, Google has updated their Pixel Buds Pro with a new set of features coming as well as new colour options.
The Pixel Buds Pro launched in Australia in Charcoal, Fog and Lemongrass last year, and will be joined from the 12th of October by two new options: Bay Blue and Porcelain White.
The Pixel Buds Pro will receive five new features in the next month as part of a ‘Pixel Drop’ for the earbuds. These new features will be available to all new and existing Pixel Buds Pro users as Google rolls out the firmware.
The new features include an update for Super Wide Band (SWB) on Pixel Buds Pro, which will double the bandwidth for voices enabling support for Clear Calling on Pixel. Clear Calling will help on those noisy calls with the AI reducing the background noise from the person you’re calling, enhancing their voice so that you can hear them even more clearly.
Google says that Clear Calling will roll out ‘soon’ so keep an eye out for that update.
The update will also include Conversation Detection, with the Pixel Buds Pro automatically pausing your music and enabling Transparency Mode when it detects you speaking. You’ll have to opt in to this one, so if you prefer not to use Transparency Mode it won’t be an issue.
The new update also has a focus on your hearing health with a new Wellness option in the Pixel Buds app that will let you know how loud you’ve been listening to music over time and let you know when to lower the volume so you don’t damage your hearing.
For gamers, Google is also bringing a low-latency mode to Pixel Buds Pro. When you load a compatible game on your Pixel phone, Pixel Buds Pro will automatically cut the latency in half in the new mode offering a more dynamic gaming experience, says Google.
The quality in low-latency mode will drop but you’ll get far better sync while in-game using the low-latency mode but for those wanting to have their sound match the visuals in their game, it’s a worthy trade-off.
Finally, for Chromebook users, the Pixel Buds Pro app will be available for Chromebooks as a web app, letting you easily change settings on your earbuds including options to switch control modes, update and install new firmware, all from your Chromebook.
