Google announced a huge lineup of new products yesterday. Perhaps the largest and most exciting announcement of the day for viewers was the announcement of their 2 new smartphones, the Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL. Taking what reviewers loved about last years’ Pixels, Google heavily featured the cameras on the new devices.
Some people are probably wondering what’s up with the headphone jack on the new phones. The original Pixel did have a headphone jack, but Apple has since upped the ante for smartphones by removing the headphone jacks on all their newest products. In order to compete with those products, Google has focused on their artificial intelligence and other features.
In a move that was speculated about prior to the event, Google did remove the headphone jack on their newest set of phones.
To counter the removal of a headphone jack, Google also announced their newest headphones: the Google Pixel Buds. These headphones also use Google translate that allow you to have conversations with people who may speak a different language than you. The Pixel Buds provide up to 5 hours of playing on one charge. They are $159 and will be available in November. You can pre-order the headphones here.
The Pixel Buds are not included with the phone, however. Instead, Google has decided to include an adapter for headphones that are not bluetooth compatible. The adapter sells for $20, but it will be included in the box for anyone who purchases the new phones.
The speakers on the phones are front-facing to deliver the best volume without muffling audio with your hand.
Both phones are equipped with the Google Assistant, which can be synced with other Google devices including Google Home Mini and Max and the Google Pixelbook. The phones are both equipped with Active Edge, you can give your Pixel a squeeze and then tell your phone what you want it to do, and it will do it.
Find out more about the features available for the new phones here:
Comments
Google Pixel 2: Does it Have a Headphone Jack?