Google Pixel Buds' Real-Time Translation Now Available to All Assistant-Optimised Headphones

Google unveiled its first wireless headphones Pixel Buds alongside the Pixel 2 series last year. The Pixel Buds' key highlight was that they supported real-time translation, thanks to Google Assistant optimisation, but they worked only with the Pixel Phones exclusively. However, Google has now quietly rolled out support for the real-time translation feature for all Assistant-optimised headphones, which will work with all Android devices. The tech giant has also updated its Pixel Buds support pages to announce the end of Pixel phones exclusivity, and this will enable more Android devices and Assistant-powered headsets to take advantage of the real-time translation feature.

Google Pixel Buds' support page now reads, "Google Translate is available on all Assistant-optimised headphones and Android phones," instead of "Google Translate on Google Pixel Buds is only available on Pixel phones." The real-time translation feature on an Assistant-optimised headphone essentially makes Google's Translate app more user-friendly, and makes the process of translation more conversational. For example, the wearer of the Pixel Bud simply can speak in their native language by pressing the right bud, and it is then translated as per their settings, and read out loud by Assistant through the phone's speaker.

Once the person they're speaking to replies, that message is once again translated back to the first person's native language via the phone, and they hear the answer through the Pixel Buds.

Google Pixel Buds language translations supports up 40 languages, with Hindi and Tamil on the list.

Google launched the Pixel Buds to counter Apple's AirPods, and priced it in the US at $159 (roughly Rs. 11,600). There is no word on when the Pixel Buds are slated to arrive in India.