Google Pixel Buds A-Series release date, price, specs and latest news

The tech giant's latest set of true wireless headphones are expected to be an affordable alternative to the existing second-generation Pixel Buds, which first released in mid-2020 and continues to retail for £179 in the U.K.

While the naming convention appears to follow Google’s Pixel smartphone line-up, there’s still a lot of mystery surrounding the new product.

Here’s what we know so far about the Pixel Buds A-Series, including speculation about the price, release date, specs and design. RadioTimes.com will update this page in the wake of the I/O event, which kicks off on May 18 at 6 p.m.

If you are interested in Google devices, be sure to check out our in-depth reviews of the flagship Pixel 5 and the slightly cheaper Pixel 4a 5G. You can compare all of the current Pixel smartphones in our full Google Pixel 5 vs 4a vs 4a 5G guide.

Pixel Buds A-Series Release date

There is no confirmed release date for the Google Pixel Buds A-Series in the U.K, however recent leaks from the company’s social media and marketing material revealed the headphones not only exist, but their arrival appears to be imminent.

In early May, the official Android Twitter account posted a photo of the A-Series, and a caption claimed they would have “quality sound” and one-tap Bluetooth pairing. It did not include a release date, and the tweet was quickly purged.

An earlier leak in April — sent out via a Google Nest mailing list — featured a small picture of the Pixel Buds A-Series, shown on the store under accessories. Oops.

Pixel Buds A-Series Price & Specs

While the exact pricing of the Pixel Buds A-Series is also unknown, the name has indicated they will be cheaper than the $179 pair released last year.

Google’s “A” brand, which includes the Pixel 3a and Pixel 4a phones, is typically more affordable than flagship models, slashing some of the premium features to keep the cost down. The theme looks set to continue with the Pixel 5a.

Our expert reviewer previously detailed how the existing Pixel Buds were a vast improvement over the prior model, which were connected by a wire.

The second-gen buds lacked some features, including active noise cancellation, but offered some great features such as an ‘always-on’ voice control via Google Assistant, live language translation and on-bud interactive touch controls.

Google has likely made some concessions to drive the price down in the A-Series buds, but it is yet to be revealed how many features will be removed.

Where to buy the Pixel Buds

• Available at Currys PC World | £179.00
• Available at Argos | £179.00
• Available at John Lewis | £179.00
• Available at Very | £179.00

Where to buy the Pixel 5

• Upfront at Amazon or Argos
• Available from Carphone Warehouse | from £24.99 a month, £49.99 upfront
• Available from O2 | from £15.81 a month (for first six months), £30 upfront
• Available from Vodafone | from £42 a month, £49 upfront

Pixel Buds A-Series Design

The overall look of the Pixel Buds A-Series doesn’t seem to be changing, at least based on the leaked marketing material. The buds remain housed inside a small pebble charging case and appear to still have their circular in-ear design.

It is likely there will be updated colours; however, with the leaks teasing the new A-Series buds coming in white and a darker green. The second-gen Pixel Buds released in the colour “clearly white,” but additional hues were unveiled later last year, dubbed by Google as “oh so orange,” “quite mint”, and “almost black.”

Speculation has mounted for weeks, but there's not long to wait until we get some solid answers. With Google's three-day I/O showcase approaching, we may finally get clarification about when the new buds will be released and how they will compare to the existing model. Stay with RadioTimes.com for the latest developments.

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