made by google

Google’s Pixel 2a Earbuds Are Shaping Up to Be a Serious Upgrade, for Less

Here's what's new with Pixel, including noise-canceling earbuds that undercut Apple and Samsung, plus new phones and watches

By Jonathan Zavaleta

Jonathan Zavaleta

Contact Jonathan Zavaleta by Email

View all posts by Jonathan Zavaleta

August 20, 2025

Add us as a Google Preferred Source

Man wearing Pixel buds and holding Pixel phone

Google

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

The Made by Google event brought a ton of news from the Mountain View tech company, including new Pixel phones, an updated Pixel watch, and a new pair of earbuds. In a departure from the typical tech CEO keynote, Jimmy Fallon hosted the event. 

On the phone front, Google announced the new Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The phones are powered by Google’s new Tensor G5 chip, which, according to the brand, offers up to 34% faster average CPU performance compared to the previous generation. 

Arguably, the most exciting change is the addition of Qi2 charging, the magnetic wireless charging standard based on Apple’s MagSafe chargers. Since the standard was introduced, phone manufacturers (looking at you, Samsung) have been slow to adopt it, but Google is now going all in on Qi2. That means that the new Pixel phones will be compatible with MagSafe accessories. 

As for wearables, the new Pixel watch features a sleek, domed display with smaller bezels, longer battery life, and AI features from Gemini. And since e-waste is a major problem, Google made the Pixel watch repairable, with a replaceable battery and display. 

Pixel Buds 2a: Now With Noise-Canceling

Finally, on the audio front, Google announced the Pixel Buds 2a. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are one of our favorite earbuds for Android users, and the latest Pixel Buds 2a sound like a promising upgrade from the original A-series.

Google Announces New Pixel Earbuds, Now Up for Preorder

drops oct 9

Pixel Buds 2a

$129.00

preorder On Amazon

preorder at target

For starters, the Buds 2a offer active noise canceling, a feature absent from the original version. One of my favorite details of Pixel Buds is how light and comfortable they are, and Google looks to have kept the same lightweight, pod-shaped form factor for the new 2a earbuds. Google also added Spatial Audio (exclusively for Pixel devices), and the earbuds have built-in support for Gemini, Google’s AI assistant. Like the watch, the earbuds have a replaceable battery, a small win for sustainability.

The earbuds come in dark grey, called “hazel,” and a poppy purple dubbed “iris.” Price-wise, these earbuds undercut the competition from other phone makers. At $129, they’re $30 more than the original Series A earbuds, but still more affordable than Apple’s AirPods 4 with ANC ($179) and Samsung’s Galaxy Buds3 ($180). 

Based on the specs, the Buds 2a look like a truly compelling alternative to the $229 Pixel Buds Pro 2, with a few sacrifices, including a lack of wireless charging, a shorter battery life, and less comprehensive controls. The Pixel Buds 2a are available for preorder now, and hit shelves on Oct. 9

In this article:

More News

Read more

Top stories newsletter

A Cultural Force That Transcends Generations

Enter your Email

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services.