Google's Original Pixel Buds Pro Gets A Surprise Update And It's On Sale Too
It's been a minute since Google last rolled out an update for its first-generation Pixel Buds Pro, which released back in 2022. Now more than three years after launch, Google is offering another firmware update (version 5.11) to its original Pixel Buds Pro, and it could very well be the last one. Before the 5.11 release, the last firmware update for these earbuds came in 2023.
The timely update follows a thread on Reddit from six months ago where some Pixel Buds Pro owners lamented the lack of new firmware and feature updates since the earbuds launched. There's some dispute over exactly how many updates have been doled out, though the general consensus is that only one firmware release added new features. That came in 2023 (version 5.9) and it introduced conversation detection, spatial audio support with head tracking, and hearing wellness features.
Google doesn't mention any new features or tricks associated with the newly released 5.11 firmware, though the release notes do indicate that it delivers unspecified bug fixes, performance tweaks, and security improvements.
While we'd like a little more detail than what Google provides in the release notes, the bigger takeaway is that it hasn't abandoned its first-generation earbuds. We also like that the update includes some kind of performance tuning, whatever that might be (better battery life or audio performance, possibly?), and not just bug fixes.
How To Update Your Google Pixel Buds Pro Firmware
If you have automatic updates enabled, your Pixel Buds Pro will fetch the latest firmware when connected to a Pixel phone or device running Android 6.0+ or later. Google says the update should take around 10 minutes, during which time you can still use your earbuds.
To manually install the latest firmware, head to Settings > More settings > Firmware update as outlined in Google's support document.
Save On Google's Pixel Buds Pro And More Earbuds
The latest firmware also arrives alongside a deep price cut, with the Google Pixel Buds Pro marked down to $119.99 at Walmart ($80 off MSRP). That's an attractive price point for what had been Google's flagship earbuds up until the Pixel Buds Pro 2 released.
Speaking of which, you can find the Pixel Buds Pro 2 on sale for $168.99 at Amazon (26% off, save $60.01) and the more affordable Pixel Buds 2a discounted to $99 on Amazon (23% off, save $30).
All three Pixel Buds variants are wireless and support active noise cancellation (ANC). The main drawback of the Pixel Buds 2a is that the charging case doesn't support wireless charging, but otherwise it's an excellent value at the current discount.
If you want to go more premium with your selection, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) that we recently reviewed is on sale for $249 at Amazon (17% off, save $50).
We also found several other earbud and headphone deals (hit the link and scroll down) that are worth checking out.
