Google is officially selling its 3.5mm to USB Type-C replacement headphone adapter for $20 on the Google Store. It’s no secret that Google has ditched the headphone jack with the new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, but the company did confirm at today’s event that an adapter dongle will be included in the box. Now, this adapter is similar to what many of the competition bundle in with their respective devices, but due to the size, the adapters themselves are pretty easy to misplace, hence the need for replacements.
These replacements are not necessarily cheap, but even the likes of Apple sells theirs for “just”$9 in the US. Google, though, has added a further $11 onto the price tag of its offering, meaning a total of $20 for each replacement USB-C headphone adapter. This isn’t the only adapter on offer by the company, though. If a user wishes to charge their Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL and listen to music at the same time, they will be forced to purchase an adapter that adds a USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack simultaneously, an accessory that is currently selling for $44.95 on the Google Store. Those who, on the other hand, may not own a pair of earphones and are instead hoping to receive a free pair with their Pixel 2 purchase will also be out of luck because the company has opted to not include any in the box. Instead, Google appears to be pushing users towards its new Pixel Buds, which integrate Google Assistant and offer real-time translation, while also boasting up to 5 hours of audio playback on a single charge, though they cost a hefty $159.
Currently, the popularity of replacement adapters is yet to take off, so it appears that the best option, for now, is the official offering from the company. Nonetheless, as the popularity and adoption rates of USB-C grows, adapters from other manufacturers are likely to appear, as well as many new earphones that utilize the new port. Considering the high prices of Google’s accessories, as well as the fact that they plan on keeping last year’s Google Pixel on sale, albeit at a pretty high price, it appears the internet giant is taking a leap out of Apple’s book and hopes to become the most premium Android brand.