Google's New True Wireless Pixel Buds Mimic Two Key AirPods Features

Google launched its second-generation Pixel Buds this week to generally favorable reviews, thanks in part to a couple of new features that AirPods owners have appreciated for some time.

google pixel buds 2020 fast pair
The new Pixel Buds use a pairing process on Android 6.0+ phones called Fast Pair: Hold the case near your phone, flip the lid, and a screen pops up on the screen to indicate automatic pairing, which links them to the user's Google account.

Apart from the obvious UI differences, that's pretty much identical to the way you connect a pair of AirPods to iPhone. But the similarities don't stop there. Google is also making it easier to find misplaced Pixel Buds. From Google's blog:

It can be frustrating when you put your Bluetooth headphones down and immediately forget where you placed them. If they’re connected to your phone, you can locate your headphones by ringing them… And, when you misplace your headphones, in the coming months, you can check their last known location in the Find My Device app if you have Location History turned on.

Sound familiar? Apple's Find My app includes a Find my AirPods feature that plays a tone to help users recover nearby ‌AirPods connected to iPhone or iPad. It also shows the last known location of AirPods if they're no longer connected.

Credit where it's due, Google appears to have implemented the features well, including notifying users when the earbuds and case battery are running low upon connection. The company says it plans to include its Fast Pair technology in other audio accessories, just like Apple added its instant-pairing W1 and H1 chips to its wireless Beats line.

The new Pixel Buds are compatible with iOS, but don't expect the new seamless pairing features to work with ‌iPhone‌ (the same goes for AirPods on Android). Unlike AirPods Pro, Pixel Buds don't include active noise canceling either, instead offering something called Adaptive Sound that automatically adjusts the volume based on the wearer's surroundings.

Features like Adaptive Sound and other settings are accessible in the Pixel Buds app on devices running Android 6.0 and later. The Pixel Buds software is also built into the settings menu as a system-level app on Pixel phones. Google's new Pixel Buds are priced at $179 in the U.S. and can be ordered on the Google Play Store.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone Like 'Two Titanium iPhone Airs' Joined at the Hinge

Monday September 22, 2025 2:16 am PDT by
Next year's rumored foldable iPhone will showcase an ultra-thin design resembling "two titanium iPhone Airs side-by-side," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple's first foldable device will be "super thin and a design achievement," combining Apple's thinnest iPhone form factor with cutting-edge folding...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

iOS 26.1 Adds New Apple Intelligence Languages and Expands AirPods Live Translation

Monday September 22, 2025 11:15 am PDT by
With iOS 26.1, Apple Intelligence is gaining support for additional languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. Apple announced plans to expand the languages that can be used with Apple Intelligence last year, and now the added language support is here. Apple Intelligence is now available in the following...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

Some iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Users Experiencing Intermittent Wi-Fi Issue

Monday September 22, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple's latest iPhone models launched on Friday, and some early adopters of the devices are experiencing intermittent Wi-Fi issues. Affected customers say Wi-Fi connectivity periodically cuts out on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, with hundreds of comments about the issue posted across the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and the Apple Support Community over the...
apple tv 4k new orange

Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features

Monday September 22, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Likely Features N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7 Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...

Top Rated Comments

mazz0 Avatar
71 months ago

Yeah, I will never be interested in Android devices.

I hate how Google blatantly copies Apple. Seriously, they cannot come up with a different name for their version of the "Find My" app?! They have their own people to come up with names for features, and you are telling they could not come up with something different, or they just do not care?

Sorry for the mini-rant. I know we are used to Google copying Apple, it just really annoys me!

:apple:
Erm, I’m quite an Apple fanboi, but I don’t think it’s very fair to suggest this is a one way street. Aren’t control centre and notification centre both copied from Android? And the tiles-based app switcher is from some other, now defunct, mobile OS isn’t it?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jamezr Avatar
71 months ago

Yeah, I will never be interested in Android devices.

I hate how Google blatantly copies Apple. Seriously, they cannot come up with a different name for their version of the "Find My" app?! They have their own people to come up with names for features, and you are telling they could not come up with something different, or they just do not care?

Sorry for the mini-rant. I know we are used to Google copying Apple, it just really annoys me!

:apple:
I have a house full of Apple products and I am sending this from my iMac. But lets be real here. All companies copy from each other. We the customer benefit greatly from this practice.
Apple has copied things from the Android space numerous times. Heck the ability to copy and paste....any iPhone with a display larger than 4.7 inch is thanks to coping Android phones. Then there is wireless charging OLED displays and so many more features.
I for one am thankful they copy from each other.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thei3ug Avatar
71 months ago

Erm, I’m quite an Apple fanboi, but I don’t think it’s very fair to suggest this is a one way street. Aren’t control centre and notification centre both copied from Android? And the tiles-based app switcher is from some other, now defunct, mobile OS isn’t it?
WebOS. I was one of the 35 people who loved it.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
oneMadRssn Avatar
71 months ago

Yeah, I will never be interested in Android devices.

I hate how Google blatantly copies Apple. Seriously, they cannot come up with a different name for their version of the "Find My" app?! They have their own people to come up with names for features, and you are telling they could not come up with something different, or they just do not care?

Sorry for the mini-rant. I know we are used to Google copying Apple, it just really annoys me!

:apple:
"Good artists copy, great artists steal ... We have always been shameless about stealing great ideas." Who said that? I always forget ;)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarpalMac Avatar
71 months ago
Quite amazing how Android articles draw almost immediate responses from so many people who are all quick to state they have no interest in the item. Presumably not helped by the stirring tone of the article.

Back on topic: The buds seem a bit bulky to me, keen to hear how they compare for longer duration wear, exercise and the Airpod Pro's weakest trait - sound quality. Shame they don't have ANC so presumably, not pass through.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gilligan's last elephant Avatar
71 months ago

Erm, I’m quite an Apple fanboi, but I don’t think it’s very fair to suggest this is a one way street. Aren’t control centre and notification centre both copied from Android? And the tiles-based app switcher is from some other, now defunct, mobile OS isn’t it?
There are always lots of people who think companies (Samsung/Google etc) always copy Apple.
Last year when Samsung upgraded to their latest wireless earbuds, people insisted that these had been copied from Airpods.
Even after explaining that Samsung had released a pair of wireless ear buds with a charging carry case with a snap lid called Gear Icon X BEFORE Apple even announced Airpods, one person still maintained they were an AirPod rip-off, because they were available in white. Along with black and a blue colour. Bizarre.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)