Amazon today introduced its second-generation Echo Buds with a 21 percent smaller design and improved active noise cancellation.
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The second-generation Echo Buds are introducing a white color option, and it’s hard to see past the obvious design features that Amazon has taken from the AirPods Pro’s charging case, which looks almost exactly the same with an elongated design, a single centered LED, and a long groove to open the lid.
Like the AirPods Pro, the Echo Buds now have a vented design to reduce ear pressure. Other comfort improvements have also been made possible by reducing the size of each individual button, such as a shortened eartip and a smaller external height for a more flat fit.
Noise canceling is reportedly twice as good as the previous model, and the buttons now have an AirPods Pro-style sound-pass mode. Sound quality has also been improved with greater dynamic range and greater fidelity of bass and treble. The microphones have also been improved for better call quality.
The second-generation Echo Buds are IPX4 rated for water and sweat resistance, and the earbuds can listen for five hours with noise cancellation enabled, with two additional full charges in the case for a total of 15 hours. Like the original Echo Buds, the second-generation model comes with Alexa built-in.
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The Echo Buds come with oval ear tips in four sizes and optional wing tips in two sizes for a better fit.
The second-gen Echo Buds are priced at $ 119.99 with the standard USB-C charging case, or $ 139.99 with the wireless charging case, significantly lowering the $ 249 price of AirPods Pro. They will go on sale on May 13 and will be temporarily discounted at $ 99.99 and $ 119.99.