The Nothing Ear (open) is a pair of transparent open earbuds that are thin, light, and cost $150.
Nothing, the London-based consumer tech brand best known for its transparent design, is back with another product in its Nothing Ear line of wireless earbuds. Today, the company unveiled the Nothing Ear (open), the brand's first open earbuds.
Open earbuds, if you aren't aware, differ from traditional wireless earbuds in that they aren't designed to block off your ear canal from outside noise. Instead, they rest farther out on your ear so you can listen to music while still being aware of your surroundings. Of course, this kind of design generally comes with some trade-offs in audio quality, which Nothing hopes to solve with a few key features.
First, the Nothing Ear (open) boasts Nothing's Open Sound Technology, which Nothing says creates a "more immersive audio experience while maintaining users' awareness of their surroundings." This lets users "stay connected to their environment without compromising on sound quality." To minimize sound leakage and deliver a balanced soundstage, the Ear (open) was engineered with Nothing's Sound Seal System and directional speakers.
The left earbud of the Nothing Ear (open), front and back.
Nothing says the Ear (open) also comes with its custom patent-pending diaphragm, titanium coating, ultra-light driver, and stepped design. The custom shape of the Ear (open), Nothing says, reduces distortion and enhances low frequencies, while the titanium coating reproduces crisp high notes. The driver components, which the company says are nearly 30% lighter than typical earbuds, boost mid and high frequencies whereas the stepped driver physically moves the speaker closer to the ear without sacrificing comfort. Lastly, an automatic Bass Enhance algorithm optimizes frequencies on the low end for a richer bass experience, Nothing says.
Similar to other Nothing products, the Nothing Ear (open) has a transparent look. It's also thin and light compared to other open-ear audio products, Nothing says. Each earbud weighs just 8.1 grams while the charging case is 19mm thick. The Ear (open) design allows for "all-day comfort," which Nothing attributes to its three-point balance system and silicone ear hooks that offer a secure, supposedly "weightless" fit that adapts to any ear shape.
The Nothing Ear (open) should also last all day, too. Nothing quotes 8 hours of playback on a single charge and up to 30 hours total of battery life with the charging case. A quick 10 minute charge in the case provides approximately 2 hours of listening time.
The Nothing Ear (open) charging case, without earbuds (left) and with earbuds (right).
Nothing says the Ear (open) has a few AI-driven features in tow. Its built-in Clear Voice Technology uses "AI-enhanced processing" to deliver "crystal-clear calls, even in challenging environments." And through the Nothing X app, users can set a gesture to chat with ChatGPT from their earbuds.
Lastly, the Nothing Ear (open) supports Dual Connection for seamless switching between paired devices. It also has a Low Lag Mode that can be enabled to reduce Bluetooth audio latency while gaming.
The new Nothing Ear (open) works with both iOS and Android devices and is available for pre-order starting today in the US, Canada, the UK, and Europe. It'll be available for purchase globally starting October 1, 2024, via nothing.tech for $149/£129 / €149.
