Android will soon monitor battery of wireless earbuds, find them if they get lost

By Aaron Mamiit July 21, 2019

Google will soon roll out updates to Android’s Fast Pair feature that will improve the operating system’s support for true wireless earbuds.

In an Android Developers blog post, Google acknowledged the importance of building up support for true wireless earbuds, as they continue to gain in popularity after the launch of Apple’s AirPods in late 2016.

One of the upcoming features for Android is the ability to display the battery information not just for each wireless earbud, but also that of their charging case. This will make it much easier to monitor the need for a recharge.

Another Fast Pair feature that is on the way is compatibility with the Find My Device app and website, which will allow owners of the devices to track them down if they get misplaced. Owners of wireless earbuds will be able to view the location and time of last use, as well as unpair or ring the earbuds to help find them if they are within range.

Once Android Q is rolled out, wireless earbuds and other Fast Pair devices will each have an enhanced details page, which will include links to Find My Device, Google Assistant settings (if available), and additional settings that will link to the manufacturer’s companion app.

Google has also expanded the list of devices that can take advantage of the Fast Pair feature, providing Android device owners more options to choose from as an alternative to Apple’s AirPods. Here is the list of new Fast Pair devices, which were announced at the annual I/O Conference.

1More Dual Driver BT ANC
Anker Spirit Pro GVA
Anker SoundCore Flare+ (Speaker)
Cleer Ally Plus
Jaybird Tarah
JBL Live 220BT
JBL Live 400BT
JBL Live 500BT
JBL Live 650BT
LG HBS-SL5
LG HBS-PL6S
LG HBS-SL6S
LG HBS-PL5

The Fast Pair feature uses Bluetooth Low Energy and the Android smartphone’s location to automatically find nearby Bluetooth devices. The smartphone and the device may be paired with the simple tap on an on-screen notification.

For the best true wireless earbuds in the market, check out our guide, which features the 1More Stylish, the Jabra Elite Active 65t, the Sennheiser Momentum, and several other options.

Topics

Contributor

Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with…

Audio / Video

8 true wireless earbuds that won’t break the bank this holiday season

JLab Go Air Pop in rose.

Whether they’re a gift for someone else, or just for you, these are some of the most affordable, high-quality true wireless earbuds you can get right now -- and holiday sales could make them an even better buy. You may not recognize some of these brands, but we’ve tried them all, and they’re absolutely worth your money.

Wyze Buds Pro

Audio / Video

Nothing’s transparent Ear 1 earbuds get blacked out for stealthy special edition

Nothing Ear 1 Black Edition earbud.

Are the Nothing Ear 1 true wireless headphones, in that ice-cool white and transparent finish, a little too stark-looking for you? If so, then you’ll probably really like the new version just announced. This is the Black Edition of the Nothing Ear 1 in-ear headphones, and while they retain the trademark transparent casing, the white color has been replaced by black for a stealthy aesthetic.
What’s new?
The Nothing Ear 1 Black Edition has a classy mix of dark shades, with the body of the earbuds in matte black with gloss black collars, and the transparent plastic over the stems adding shine to the black components inside. The case’s transparent lid is now smoky black rather than completely transparent, the molded inner section is black, and the various metal parts that were polished on the first version, are also in black to complete the theme.

There’s another, arguably more important thematic reason for the introduction of the Black Edition, as the company has also announced the Ear 1 is carbon neutral. Nothing has worked with several third parties to assess the headphones, and will add the 1.78kg carbon footprint data to the Ear 1’s latest packaging.

Audio / Video

Denon’s first true wireless earbuds are now available starting at just $99

Denon Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Denon is the latest big audio brand to join the true wireless earbuds world, and it's doing so in fine form, with two models: The Denon Noise Cancelling Earbuds (AH-C830NCW), which sell for $159, and the $99 Denon Wireless Earbuds (AH-C630W). Both come in your choice of black or white and are available to buy starting November 16.

Denon isn't exactly taking the true wireless world by storm with these two models -- neither offer features we haven't seen on countless other models from Sony, Bose, Apple, and others -- but they are quite competitively priced for what you get. Both offer IPX4 protection from water and sweat, and both have what Denon describes as "astonishing levels of detail, dimensionality and dynamics never before experienced with conventional earbuds." That sounds like classic marketing hyperbole, but at least Denon has a long history of walking the talk when it comes to audio quality, so for now we'll give it the benefit of the doubt.