TL;DR Google’s new Pixel Buds 2a lack Bluetooth audio sharing, highlighting a confusing and inconsistent implementation of the Auracast feature across Pixel devices.
The feature is mysteriously disabled on the Pixel Buds Pro 2 when paired with a Pixel phone and artificially blocked on budget A-series phones.
This haphazard approach hinders the adoption of the universal Auracast standard, which could solve audio sharing issues for all consumers.
Google’s newly announced Pixel Buds 2a are a big step up from the original A-series, boasting a more durable design, ANC, the Tensor A1 processor, and multipoint connectivity. It’s great to see the company bring so many features from its premium earbuds down to its budget lineup. However, the absence of Bluetooth audio sharing on the Pixel Buds 2a isn’t just a simple omission. It’s part of a confusing pattern we’ve recently discovered regarding audio sharing support across Pixel devices, leaving us questioning Google’s overall plans for the feature.
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Audio sharing is a feature that allows you to start or listen to an audio broadcast. You can either share your own device’s audio with one or more nearby devices or join an existing broadcast started by another device. These broadcasts are transmitted over Bluetooth Low Energy and can be started or joined by any device that supports Auracast, the Bluetooth technology that enables this feature.
This is where things get complicated. Back in March, Google announced that Pixel 9 owners running Android 16 would be able to stream Auracast broadcasts. The company highlighted Auracast’s use in hearing aids but made no mention of its use for general audio sharing. This omission is strange for a few reasons. First, when Android 16 rolled out to the Pixel 9 series in June, Auracast support wasn’t enabled by default and required users to toggle it on in developer options. Second, the Pixel 9 series isn’t the only device family to support Auracast; the Pixel 8 series does as well. Finally, Google’s own Pixel Buds Pro 2 support Auracast, yet the announcement failed to mention them.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
The first point is easily explained by the fact that the feature is now available by default in Android 16 QPR1, suggesting Google simply wasn’t ready to launch it in June. While this is a minor issue, Google should have better communicated the delay to its users. (The company still doesn’t offer any support pages on the feature, for instance.)
The second point is harder to explain. We’re certain the Pixel 8 series supports Auracast; otherwise, Google wouldn’t have gone out of its way to enable the feature on those devices. I haven’t noticed any issues using Auracast on my Pixel 8 Pro, though I can’t guarantee the experience will be flawless for everyone.
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