Just as expected, the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL
ship with a new set of earbuds in the box. These resemble last year’s Google
Pixel Buds quite closely by adopting a design that makes use of AirPods-like
in-ear tips and a small exterior portion that embraces the Google “G.”
The key difference over the original Pixel Buds,
though, comes with their method of connectivity. While last year’s earbuds were
connected together by a short cable and could pair to smartphones via Bluetooth,
this new offering attaches to a much longer cable which boasts a USB Type-C
connector on the end, hence the “Pixel USB-C earbuds” name.
As expected from Pixel products, these earphones do
support the Google Assistant. This is activated by simply pressing the black
button that is included on the cable, thus allowing them to ask the digital
assistant questions. Similarly, a long press of the volume up button will
activate the Google Assistant once again. This time, though, it will simply
read a user’s list of notifications. Lastly, as with the Pixel Buds, real-time
translations are once again supported. This is accessed by pressing the
included button and saying “Hey Google, help me speak [insert language].
For those interested in this pair of earphones, they
are available to purchase right now through the official Google Store. The
audio product will be offered in white and costs US$ 30.
