Users of Google's Android mobile operating system have an increasing array of wireless earbuds to choose from, with Samsung having recently added to the options available. Between newer releases and devices that have already been on the market for some time, it's useful for users to know which might be the best choice for them. Indeed, even Apple's AirPods Pro will work with Android devices, although some functions are exclusive to iOS.
Thankfully, there are plenty of wireless earbuds that are built specifically for Android devices. The wireless earbuds market continues to grow, and manufacturers are finding ways to offer products that integrate with smartphones and tablets. The top smartphone companies also sell wireless earbuds.
Google and Samsung are among the leading Android smartphone manufacturers, so it's easy to recommend their wireless earbuds; the Google Pixel Buds and Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. Pixel Buds perfectly integrate with Google Pixel smartphones, feature an IPX4 water-resistant rating, and 24 hours of battery life. Galaxy Buds Pro are the latest entry into Samsung's Galaxy Buds lineup and recommended for Galaxy smartphone users. Similar to AirPods Pro, Galaxy Buds Pro are some of the few wireless earbuds to feature Active Noise Cancelation (ANC) and 360 Audio. Galaxy Buds Pro have a better IPX7 water-resistance rating but a slightly lower 18 hours of battery life compared to the Pixel Buds. Both earbuds are equipped with hands-free voice assistants, the Pixel Buds using the popular Google Assistant, while Galaxy Buds Pro have Samsung's Bixby enabled by default.
Earbuds For A Step Up In Audio
For Android users who want amazing audio and don't mind sacrificing the communication between wireless earbuds and smartphones, there are two great options. The Sony WF-1000XM3 are essentially the earbuds version of the popular WH-1000 wireless headphones series. The WF-1000XM3 feature Sony's impressive noise-canceling and smart listening technology, with 360 Reality Audio and 24 hours of battery life. The only disadvantage is the bulky charging case, which is considerably larger than most wireless earbuds. Sennheiser is a big player within audio equipment, and its Momentum True Wireless 2 earbuds feature high-end drivers that deliver great sound quality, excellent ANC, and a whopping 28 hours of battery life. The WF-1000XM3 offer Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa integration, while the Momentum True Wireless 2 can work with Google Assistant and Apple's Siri.
As for the AirPods Pro, their ANC works with Android, as does Transparency Mode for hearing what's going around a user and gestural control. Among the features that don't work, however, are Siri, audio sharing for joint listening, and spatial audio. The AirPods Pro are praised for their convenience and integration into Apple's ecosystem. In that realm, there is not a set of wireless earbuds quite like them for Android users due to the abundance of Android devices. But the advantage for Android is there are no restrictions because Android users freely switch between earbuds, knowing that they will not lose features whereas iOS users have the perfect earbuds in the AirPods series that every other product will be considered a downgrade.
Source: Google, Samsung, Sennheiser, Sony