Update: Our Nothing Ear (1) review is now live.
The Nothing Ear (1) was technically announced months ago, but this pair of true wireless earbuds at last has a design and release date to go with all the pre-reveal details.
As promised, the Ear (1) — the first product from OnePlus co-founder Car Pei’s Nothing company — comes with an eye-catching transparent chassis, revealing the components and circuit board within. It’s going on sale very soon, too, with a limited release on July 31 followed by a general launch on August 17.
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We’d already seen or heard about the Nothing Ear (1)’s specs and capabilities, like its active noise cancellation and up to 38-hour battery life. The full announcement has elaborated a little further, claiming an unusually specific 5.7 hours of battery life per individual charge — though this is without ANC switched on.
Turning to the design, you’ll notice it’s mainly the AirPods Pro-style stems that are see-though, though it’s good to see that replaceable silicone ear tips are confirmed: three different sizes will be included to help users find a snug fit. The buds are splash- and sweat-resistant, too.
Speaking of controls, Nothing is also launching the Ear (1) app, which will include limited EQ customization, an ANC toggle and the ability to customize touch gestures to perform different inputs.
As for sound quality, Nothing has targeted an even balance of frequencies, with tuning help from professional audio outfit Teenage Engineering. Relatively large 11.6mm drivers deliver tunes while an array of three microphones can pick up ambient noise for the ANC to block out.
And the price for all these features? As previously reported, the Nothing Ear (1) will sell for $99, less than half of what the AirPods Pro costs and even undercutting cheap ANC earbuds like the Beats Studio Buds. That’s some very aggressive pricing, given the Ear (1) seemingly wants to challenge the best noise-cancelling earbuds on features.
“Nothing ear (1) is a breath of fresh air in a cluttered and indifferent market, setting the tone for our connected digital world to come,” said Pei. “It marries advanced technology, precise engineering, and groundbreaking design at an unbelievable price.”
Our own Nothing Ear (1) review will go live later this week, so we’ll see if it can live up to its promise of high specs at a low price. If you’re set on grabbing a pair for yourself, the Ear (1) will sell direct from Nothing when sales open on July 31 and August 17.
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