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Google almost included a pair of Pixel Bud-like earbuds in the Pixel 2’s box
July 01, 2025
When you buy a top-tier smartphone, you expect to see a few things in the box: the phone (duh), a charging cable, a SIM card removal tool, a headphone jack adapter if the device doesn’t have a headphone port, as well as a pair ofearbuds. That last accessory isn’t a must, but it’s definitely a nice gesture.
When you buy aGalaxy S8, you also get a great pair ofAKG earbuds. HTCeven included a wonderful pair of noise-canceling USonic earbuds with theU11. But for some reason, despite their $650+ price tags, Google didn’t include a pair of earbuds in thePixel 2 and Pixel 2 XLbox. Why? Nobody really knows, but new evidence suggests Google considered it at one point.
A customer by the name of Lucas Everett recently purchased a Pixel 2 fromVerizon. Inside the box he found a cutout for a pair of earbuds, but there weren’t actually earbuds in the box.
That’s not the only strange thing—the earbuds were also mentioned in the “Inside the box” booklet as you can see in the images above.
In the first image, you can see the wired earbuds connect via USB Type-C and have inline controls. Flipping over to the second page, you’ll notice these earbuds have the same adjustable loop as the newGoogle Pixel Buds.
See also:Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL review: the way Android is meant to be
Lucas’ box was also missing theUSB Type-C to 3.5 mm headphone jack adapterthat’s included with all Pixel 2 retail units. A Verizon employee said none of the other boxes in the store had that insert. And as you can see in ourPixel 2 XL unboxing, ours didn’t either.
It’s pretty frustrating knowing that Google considered throwing in a pair of earbuds but decided against it. If they threw in a some Pixel Bud-like earbuds, would that sway your opinion one way or the other? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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