Pixel Buds 2 hands-on: Google takes on the AirPods

I just spent a few minutes with the new Google Pixel Buds hardware — the $179 truly wireless earbuds aren’t shipping until Spring 2020, and the units at Google’s fall hardware event aren’t actually turned on and working. So there’s no way to tell how they’ll actually sound, and how Google’s various software tricks work in practice.

What I can tell you is that Google has produced a set of small, minimally designed earbuds that look like nothing more than little circles in your ears when you’re wearing them and fit snugly thanks to the little wing coming off the side. The earbud itself slides down into your ear, providing a modicum of passive noise reduction, but Google says the design is vented to reduce discomfort and provide some...

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