Google hosted its annual Made By Google event last night, in which the spotlight shone mostly on the new Pixel 11 series of smartphones. While there were a couple of additional product reveals, including the Pixel Watch 5 and Pixel Tag tracker, there was also a subtle surprise update that caught our attention.
It centres around the Pixel Buds Pro 2, a pair of wireless earbuds that launched back in 2024. Google gave these buds a very light refresh last year; it has followed that up with a similar move for 2026, with a new finish to match the new Pixel devices.
The Buds Pro 2 now come in a pleasing green shade – Olive – but it's what's inside the buds that we are more excited for.
Google is introducing a dynamic active noise cancelling mode this year, which can adjust the strength of the ANC to compensate for “subtle shifts in the seal”.
In practical terms, this means that the buds can now dial up the ANC performance when your earbuds move around in your ears, which can happen when you are walking, exercising, or just generally moving your head.
Furthermore, Google has implemented its Gemini AI assistant to allow for voice-controlled sound tuning. A simple request – Google uses “Hey Google, turn up the bass” as an example – will allow you to tweak the settings and adjust the sound performance of your buds without having to open the companion app.
Finally, Google has added Pixel Watch sleep pairing, which can detect if you have fallen asleep with your buds in and turn off any music and the touch controls, and an update to Live Translation which now supports over 70 different languages.
We have yet to test the Pixel Buds Pro 2, although the first-generation Pixel Buds Pro didn’t blow us away. We have, however, seen the likes of Apple and Samsung make huge strides between their respective generations of earbuds, so Google could join the pack here.
The Olive Pixel Buds Pro 2 are available to order now, and a software update launching in September will bring these new features to new and existing Pixel Buds Pro 2 users.
MORE:
Check out our picks for the best wireless earbuds
Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 3 review
As well as our Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review
