Google is rolling out Gemini AI to older Pixel Buds models

If you read our Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review, you’ll see that these brand-new wireless earbuds come with built-in access to Google’s AI assistant, Gemini. But you may not need to upgrade, as we’ve also heard that Gemini support is rolling out to older Pixel Buds.

The news emerged through emails sent out to current Pixel Buds owners, as reported by 9to5Google. As long as you have Gemini set as the assistant on your Android phone rather than Google Assistant, you’ll be able to access it through your earbuds.

There’s also a tweak to how the “hey Google” command works – this can now launch Gemini, and it will no longer be a separate setting on your Android phone. Instead, you can enable the hands-free voice access in the Gemini app.

For full details, head to the updated support page for Gemini on the Pixel Buds. This change applies to all previous models: the Pixel Buds, the Pixel Buds Pro, the Pixel Buds A-Series, as well as the new Pixel Buds Pro 2.

Gemini takes over

Bear in mind that Gemini isn’t available worldwide yet, so if it’s not accessible in your country, you’ll have to wait to get the upgrade. In the meantime, you’ll still be able to access Google Assistant through your earbuds.

Google is clearly working as fast as it can to replace Google Assistant with the more advanced Gemini across all of its apps and devices. For example, Gemini comes as the default assistant on the new Google Pixel 9 phone series.

With that in mind, it’s no real surprise to see Gemini making its way to older Pixel Buds models: the heavy lifting for Gemini is done on your phone, so it’s simply a question of redirecting the Pixel Buds to the right assistant.

We saw the move coming a few days ago when the feature that enabled Google Assistant to read out incoming phone notifications through older Pixel Buds earbuds was removed – you can now get them through Gemini by saying, “Hey Google, read my notifications.”

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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.