Google announced on Tuesday, October 6, that it is rolling out a firmware update for its Pixel Buds, version 6.144, which introduces five new features. This update applies to the Pixel Buds Pro 2 released in 2024 and the Pixel Buds 2a from 2025. According to the tech news site 9to5Google, the first-generation Pixel Buds Pro, launched in 2022, also receive the update, though Google does not mention them in its official communication. Two of the new features require a Pixel smartphone or a Pixel Watch to function fully. One of the new features, dynamic noise reduction, was introduced during the Made by Google conference on August 12 and is exclusive to the Pixel Buds Pro 2. This feature enhances sound clarity by adjusting noise cancellation in real time based on the environment. The other four features are available on all affected models, including real-time translation. This allows users to press on the earpiece to translate conversations without needing to take out their phone, effectively using the Pixel Buds as a shortcut to the Google Translate app on their smartphone. Another feature allows users to adjust settings via voice commands, such as activating active noise cancellation (ANC), adjusting the equalizer, or changing touch commands. However, for the last two functions—muting or unmuting the microphone during a call and pausing music or podcasts when falling asleep—there is a technical limitation. These features require pairing with a Pixel smartphone or a Pixel Watch. The sleep detection function, for example, relies on the Pixel Watch's sensors to detect when the user is asleep, which then pauses music and disables touch gestures, as well as silencing notifications. Apple has a similar sleep detection feature on its recent AirPods with iOS 26, released in September 2025, but it does not require an Apple Watch. Instead, it uses the AirPods' own motion sensors to detect sleep. The Pixel Buds update is being rolled out automatically starting Tuesday. Users can check for the update by updating the Pixel Buds app and navigating to advanced settings, where they can find the firmware update section. The version to look for is called release_6.144.