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Surprising name suggests Google's next-gen Pixel Buds could undercut Apple's AirPods 3

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By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Mar 30, 2021, 5:03 PM

Google Pixel Buds (2020)

Google's next-gen AirPods rivals, first rumored just last week, could break cover relatively soon, and according to an exclusive new 9To5Google report, they might be called... drumroll, please... the Pixel Buds A.

That doesn't sound like a particularly catchy or inspired name for a trendy new pair of true wireless earbuds aiming to disrupt a thriving industry completely dominated by one company, but on the decidedly bright side of things, the somewhat awkward moniker strongly suggests these bad boys will be cheaper than their forerunners. Besides, if you really hate the Pixel Buds A label, there's still a chance we're dealing with an internal codename of sorts here.

Whatever the case, there's not a lot to report on the expected features and capabilities front yet, and with last year's Pixel Buds already missing the state-of-the-art active noise cancellation technology supported by the likes of Apple's AirPods Pro and Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro, it's not entirely clear what Google might give up in order to reduce the $179 starting price.

Tipped to be "almost visually indistinguishable from the current Pixel Buds" as far as the overall design language is concerned, the Google Pixel Buds A are nonetheless rumored to stand out with two new colors. Of course, "new" may not be the right word to describe the white and green hues of these upcoming AirPods 3 challengers.

This is more or less how you should expect the white Pixel Buds A to look

But we are apparently looking at different white and green paint jobs from the "Clearly White" and "Quite Mint" options of 2020's Pixel Buds. For one thing, the white earbuds will purportedly drop the black eartips, wings, and case interior in favor of an all-ivory design simulated in a modified hands-on picture of Google's existing second-gen AirPods alternatives.

Meanwhile, the mint color should turn into a "much darker forest green" hue for the Pixel Buds A that may or may not match one of Google's Pixel 5a flavors. Speaking of, we can totally understand why you'd assume these undoubtedly lower-cost earbuds could be announced alongside the budget-friendly Pixel 4a sequel rather than the higher-end Pixel 6, but for the time being, nothing's etched in stone in either direction.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.

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