Google briefly spoils the Pixel Buds A-Series launch

Google’s launch strategy for the Pixel Buds A continues to be… less than elegant. Mere weeks after an inadvertent teaser, the tech briefly posted (and has already removed) a tweet prematurely announcing the Pixel Buds A-Series.

The social post said precious little about the Pixel Buds A-Series, but did promise “quality sound” as well as simple setup through the latest Fast Pair experience. The design is virtually identical to the existing Pixel Buds, just without the contrasting black and white colors. You won’t need a recent phone to use them, at least — the true wireless earbuds should work with Android 6.0 Marshmallow and later.

We’ve asked Google for comment.

See also: The best true wireless earbuds

Past rumors and teases have suggested the A-Series will be a more affordable alternative to the standard Pixel Buds. It’s not certain just what Google might cut (if anything) to keep the price down, as the current model doesn’t include active noise cancelling or most other luxuries from higher-end wireless buds.

The post suggests Google may be close to a more intentional debut, though. While nothing is certain at this stage, the company could use its virtual I/O 2021 event to launch both the Pixel Buds A-Series and its expected Pixel 5a 5G smartphone. If so, Google will clearly be focused on making hardware affordable at I/O instead of competing with the latest flagships.