Why Google's Budget Earbuds Are About to Get Less Budget-Friendly

Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir The value proposition that made Google's affordable earbuds so appealing might be shifting. Recent leaks suggest the upcoming Pixel Buds 2a could carry a significantly higher price tag than their predecessors, potentially disrupting one of the best deals in the wireless earbud market. 9to5Google reports the Pixel Buds 2a will start at €149, up from the existing A-Series price of €109. That's a roughly 37% price increase—pushing Google's "budget" option into mid-tier pricing territory, directly competing with established players like Sony and Jabra rather than undercutting them. Here's what makes this particularly telling: Google's current A-Series earbuds launched at just $99 and frequently drop to as low as $59 during sales. The new 2a model appears positioned to bridge the gap between the budget A-Series and the premium Pro 2 line, which retails for $229. This creates Google's first three-tier earbud strategy—a move that signals they're serious about ext