40 PCWorld DECEMBER 2019NEWS GOOGLE PIXEL BUDS
over time.
Bluetooth range? It was
a problem with the original
Pixel Buds, which actually
were wired bud to bud.
The new Pixel Buds feature
a true wireless design, and
Google says Bluetooth
range will cross three
rooms indoors (rather
vague) and a full football
field outside (360 feet).
Battery life is rated at five
hours, with another 24 hours
promised via the new wireless
charger, which appears to ditch the
frustrating, difficult-to-fully-close design of the
first generation product.
As for the buds themselves, Google says
the new Pixel Buds will deliver better sound
quality, sit flush with one’s ears, and include a“spatial vent” to reduce that
“plugged ear feeling.”
There’s also a “voice
accelerometer” that
detects speech through
your jawbone to improve
“beam-forming”
microphone performance
in windy or noisy
conditions, and the buds
will dynamically adjust
volume to ambient
noise conditions.
It all sounds pretty groovy,
but Google will really need to nail
this update to erase the product line’s
disappointing legacy. Earbuds aren’t just
commodity accessories anymore, and if
you’re going to attach the Pixel name to
anything, it better deliver a truly premium
experience.