Alongside the launch of its all-new Pixel Buds wireless earphones, Google on Monday also announced that it is expanding its ‘Fast Pair‘ Bluetooth connectivity technology to support a number of new functionalities that will greatly enhance its capabilities. First off is the ‘Find my Accessories’ feature that will enable users to locate their misplaced earbuds or headphones via the ‘Find my Device’ app.
Explaining how the technology will help locate misplaced earbuds or headphones, Google said: “If they’re connected to your phone, you can locate your headphones by ringing them. If you have true wireless earbuds (earbuds that aren’t attached by cables or wires), you can choose to ring only the left or right bud. And, when you misplace your headphones, in the coming months, you can check their last known location in the Find My Device app if you have Location History turned on”.
Fast Pair will also soon help users keep track of the battery level of their True Wireless Earbuds. According to Google, whenever users open their earbuds case, they’ll receive a notification on their phone about the battery level of each component individually, including the right bud, left bud and even the case itself, if supported. Users will also receive a notification when the earbuds or the case battery are running low.
On phones running Android 10, users will be able to adjust headphone settings right from the device details page. The exact settings, however, will vary depending on the accessory model. Google is also tweaking the naming of Bluetooth accessories by automatically including the user’s first name as part of the device name. For example, Pixel Buds will be renamed ‘Alex’s Pixel Buds’ after they’re paired with the phone over Bluetooth.
Harmon Kardon FLY and the new Google Pixel Buds will be the first true wireless earbuds to enjoy all of these new features, but Google says they will eventually be available with ‘many other’ headphone models as it continues to work with OEMs in the coming months.
