Today (October 4, 2023), Google held a major Pixel ecosystem
launch event; however, rather than introducing new TWS earbuds to the brand,
the Redmond behemoth has simply repurposed its existing Buds Pro as new
flagship smartphone companions by simply increasing their finish options to
include the same Bay Blue and Porcelain shades from the new 8 series.
The color change indicates that Google will grant Clear
Calling to the Pixel Buds Pro; however, unlocking the "shiny new"
feature requires the Pixel 8 series' Bluetooth Super Wideband technology, which
is rated to "double the bandwidth for voices" for a "fuller,
clearer, and more natural" voice on the phone with reduced background
noise.
The newest Buds Pro Feature Drop also makes use of Google's
AI capabilities for Conversation Detection, which activates a Transparency Mode
automatically when the wearer starts talking. When linked to a Pixel 8 or 8
Pro, the buds are also claimed to have "faster audio transmissions for
gaming" and to track earbud use habits in order to help the user safeguard
their hearing over time.
For the first time, the Pro earphones should be able to use
a Chrome OS equivalent of their Android/iOS app for settings and update
management - though it will be web-based in this case. These feature
enhancements should surface during the installation of its new software update,
which may already be available to users.