Pixel Buds companion app update adds several great voice-control features

Though the Pixel 11 series didn’t arrive with a big new Pixel Buds model, we got a fresh new color for the Pixel Buds Pro 2, and an exciting promise. Alongside the olive version of the earbuds, there were software updates that were said to come sometime this month. The time has arrived, and there’s an intriguing update to the Pixel Buds app.

The latest Pixel Buds app update allows Gemini to control key settings of your earbuds

Google introduced a helpful new feature with the latest Pixel Buds update, which brings it to version 1.0.981607934. According to a 9to5Google report, the update enables voice control for several of the key earbuds settings.

The new settings are available through a new connection with Gemini, which allows users to control “settings like EQ preset, ANC mode, conversation detection, and touch controls.” While those are the specific settings mentioned in the Gemini app, the list doesn’t appear to be complete.

The most practical settings are probably the ones related to the ANC and the equalizer, though you can also edit the touch controls of your earbuds through with just your voice.

How to get the new Pixel Buds features?

The latest version of the Pixel Buds app is already available and rolling out via the Play Store. However, to use these new voice control features, you’ll need to also have the Gemini app installed.

Using a voice command, such as “Hey Gemini, turn up the bass,” brings up a Gemini overlay before showing a “Connecting to Pixel Buds” message. There’s also a verbal confirmation that the setting was changed.

With this update, Google is getting ahead of its main competitors. While Apple earbuds, such as the AirPods Pro 3, can get their noise-canceling settings through Siri, that’s not available for EQ settings. Samsung’s buds, such as the Galaxy Buds 4, also come with a more limited list of voice commands, including for music and volume control, and answering and rejecting calls.

This should be a default

Earbuds are probably my favorite consumer tech product of the last decade, and I’ve always wanted them to have voice controls. Finally getting such features is one of the few benefits of the wave of AI in our phones.

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