Artificial intelligence (AI) is all the hype, and not only for smartphones. Alongside the Pixel 10 series, Google has announced its latest generation of wearable devices during August’s Made by Google event: the Google Buds 2a and Pixel Watch 4, both of which put AI into focus.
Making a return after four years, the Buds 2a is powered by a Tensor A1 chip that “unlocks the power of Google’s advanced AI and Gemini feature”, per the tech juggernaut. It’s also lighter than before, with four different eartip sizes included, ranging from extra small to large. More notably, the earbuds now offer active noise cancellation (ANC) to block out external noise and a Transparency mode option to keep an ear out for environmental sounds.
The Gemini support allows for hands-free, voice-activated assistance — whether it’s retrieving information from recent emails or getting walking directions — while Google AI works to reduce background noise such as wind, chatter, and more. Other existing features, including Find Hub, multipoint connectivity, and touch controls, are all available.
The Google Buds 2a boast a longer battery life at seven hours of listening time with ANC on, and 20 hours with the charging case. It comes in the Hazel and Iris colourways, and will hit shelves from 9 October for S$199. Pre-orders are now open on the official online store and authorised retailers, with the Pixel Buds Pro 2 getting a brand-new Moonstone iteration.
Elsewhere, the Pixel Watch 4 features an Actua 360 domed display that delivers 10 per cent more screen and 3,000 nits of brightness, an enhanced battery life, and the Material 3 Expression design language (read: new clock faces and fluid animations). Like before, the device is available in 41mm and 45mm, clocking 30 hours and 40 hours of use, respectively.
In terms of health and wellness tools, users can expect the Fitbit Morning Brief, which highlights their most important health and fitness metrics, three key personalised metrics (readiness, cardio loads, and target cardio load), a body-response sensor that identifies potential signs of stress, advanced sleep tracking, a health metrics dashboard, and more.
Over 40 exercise modes, including yoga, HIIT (high-intensity interval training), and kickboxing, are also available, alongside safety additions such as SOS satellite communications; Loss of Pulse Detection, a first-to-market feature; Safety Check, which shares the user’s location with their emergency contacts if the timer runs out with no response; Emergency Sharing; and Fall and Car Crash Detection.
As part of the Google ecosystem, the Pixel Watch 4 boasts Gemini support and is designed to work with other Pixel devices and Google apps. It launches in November 2025 and will retail for S$529 (41mm) and S$599 (45mm).
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
