Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2 get Dynamic ANC and Gemini controls this September
Google is pushing a free software update to the Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Pixel Buds 2a in September that fixes one of the most annoying problems with workout earbuds — noise cancellation that falls apart the moment they shift in your ear. The headline addition, Dynamic ANC, lands alongside Gemini voice controls and expanded Live Translate support. No new hardware, no price hike: the Pixel Buds Pro 2 stay at $229 / £219.
The fix runners actually wanted
Anyone who has worn ANC earbuds during a run knows the problem: buds drift a couple of millimetres, the seal breaks, and suddenly you can hear everything again. Google official says Dynamic ANC monitors the fit in real time and recalibrates automatically — no tapping, no menu-diving. According to TechTimes, earbuds typically shift 2–3mm during exercise, which is exactly the gap this feature targets. This is exclusive to the Pro 2; the Buds 2a get the other updates but not Dynamic ANC.
More from Gemini, and a smarter sleep mode
Both models gain deeper Gemini integration. You can now tell the assistant to raise the volume, tweak the EQ, or skip a track — all without touching your phone. Live Translate gets a bump to 70-plus languages, activated with a single tap on the earbud rather than through the Google Translate app.
The most convenient addition may be the Pixel Watch tie-in: if your watch detects you've fallen asleep, it automatically pauses playback and silences notifications. Small thing, but the kind of friction-remover that makes an ecosystem worth staying in.
Against the competition
At $229 / £219, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 sit below the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro — both of which cost £70-plus more in the UK. The price has held since the 2024 launch, which is worth noting given that Pixel Watch 5 crept up from £350 to £399 this cycle. Nothing Ear undercuts Google by around $80 in the US, but doesn't match the ecosystem depth.
A new Olive (dark green) color option is available to pre-order now at the same MSRP. The software rollout begins in September via Google Store, Amazon, and O2 in the UK.
