The Pixel Buds 2a have one feature every true wireless earbud should have

Google just announced the Pixel Buds 2a, and while active noise cancelation might be the headlining feature, there’s something far more significant hiding in plain sight: a replaceable battery. For the first time in the Pixel Buds lineup, you can actually swap out the charging case’s battery yourself with just a Torx screwdriver and a few minutes of your time. It’s a small step forward, but it highlights just how backwards the rest of the industry has become when it comes to basic repairability.

Halfway there

Before we get too excited, let’s address the obvious limitation: only the case battery is replaceable. The batteries inside the earbuds themselves—the ones that actually power your music and are far more likely to degrade first—remain sealed away, destined for the landfill when they inevitably lose capacity.

Still, even a half-measure is progress in an industry that has seemingly forgotten repairability exists at all. And Google isn’t breaking new ground here; they’re just finally catching up to what others have already proven possible.

The Fairphone Fairbuds prove it can be done

While Google deserves credit for taking this first step, the Fairphone Fairbuds have shown the entire industry how it should be done since 2024. These earbuds feature completely replaceable batteries in both the case AND the earbuds themselves. By removing the rubber rings around the earbuds, you can access the battery door and slide out the battery housing. Once this is done, you can simply pop out the LIR1054 cells and swap in new ones you pick up from anywhere that sells rechargeable hearing aid batteries.

The Fairbuds prove that full repairability isn’t just possible—it’s practical. Sure, they’re bulkier than sleek options like AirPods, but that’s the tradeoff for making earbuds that can last indefinitely with proper maintenance. These earbuds will be able to continue working long past true wireless earbuds’ average end-of-life due to the ability to maintain the product.

The e-waste crisis is real

The environmental case for replaceable batteries isn’t just feel-good environmentalism—it’s an urgent necessity. In 2024, the TWS market reached 77 million units sold in Q2 alone, and the global earbuds market is expected to grow from 0.35 billion units in 2025 to 1.20 billion units by 2030. With this explosive growth, we’re looking at billions of earbud batteries reaching end-of-life in the coming years.

The recycling situation is equally grim. While 90% of lead-acid batteries are recycled, experts estimate that only about 5% of lithium-ion batteries currently enter a recycling stream. The rest end up in drawers, trash cans, or landfills, wasting valuable materials that require significant environmental and social costs to extract.

Lithium-ion batteries can cause fires when exposed to heat, mechanical stress, or other waste materials. Once exposed, the elements contained in the batteries could leach into the environment and contaminate the soil and groundwater. And as one researcher noted, “the greater risk is loss of valuable materials.”

So how does Google’s implementation actually work? The process is refreshingly straightforward. There are small screws at the bottom of the earbud wells that you’ll need to remove with a Torx screwdriver (not a standard Phillips head). Once removed, you can slide out the interior of the case to find the battery compartment and swap out your dead battery for a new one.

Google hasn’t announced pricing for replacement batteries yet, but they should be available when the earbuds launch. The company has made a significant commitment here: they promise to keep selling replacement batteries until five years after the end of life for the Pixel Buds 2a. That’s an improvement from the typical approach of discontinuing parts support as soon as a new model launches.

This commitment to long-term parts availability addresses one of the biggest concerns with “repairable” consumer electronics. Too many companies offer replacement parts only to make them prohibitively expensive or discontinue them after a few years. Google’s five-year guarantee suggests they’re at least somewhat serious about supporting actual repairability, not just marketing it as a checkbox feature.

Why this matters beyond Google

The Pixel Buds 2a’s case battery might seem like a small feature, but it represents something larger: proof that major manufacturers can implement basic repairability without sacrificing design or functionality. If Google can do it for the case, there’s no technical reason they couldn’t do it for the earbuds themselves in future generations.

As demand outpaces mining capacities, recycling morphs from an ethical obligation to an economically viable alternative, possibly a necessity. We’re heading toward a future where the materials in our old electronics become more valuable than what we can easily mine from the ground.

The European Union is already pushing manufacturers in this direction with upcoming regulations requiring easier battery replacement in consumer devices. American manufacturers will eventually have to follow suit or risk being locked out of major markets.

The industry needs to follow suit

Every major earbud manufacturer should be taking notes. Apple’s AirPods, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds, and Sony’s WF series do not offer meaningful repairability. When the battery dies, you buy new earbuds. This is wasteful, expensive for consumers, and completely unnecessary from a technical standpoint.

The production of rechargeable batteries from mined minerals has social and environmental impacts, and natural resources are finite. We can’t continue treating earbuds as disposable items when the only thing that typically fails is a small, easily replaceable battery.

The Fairphone Fairbuds showed that it was possible to make fully repairable earbuds. Google’s Pixel Buds 2a show that even partial repairability is better than none. Now we need the rest of the industry to stop making excuses and start making earbuds that don’t become e-waste the moment their batteries degrade.

The technology exists, consumer demand is there, and environmental necessity is undeniable. The only thing missing is the will to prioritize longevity over planned obsolescence. Google took a small step in the right direction—let’s hope others are paying attention.