Nothing Ear 1 True Wireless Earbuds Officially Launched

 

Pic Credit: Nothing

Nothing, the consumer tech startup founded by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, has unveiled its Ear (1) true wireless earbuds. After months of teasing, concept images, and even a presale in which Nothing auctioned off 100 pairs of the noise-cancelling buds ahead to their formal reveal, the noise-cancelling buds are finally available with a unique semi-transparent design with audio features generally found in higher-priced competitors.

The Ear (1)'s features an unusual aesthetic that displays some of their internal circuitry thanks to a transparent plastic design, and each earbud includes a color-coded circle (red or white) to indicate the corresponding ear. However, the Ear (1) buds' design choices aren't exactly subtle. A stem hangs down from the large rectangular portions that sit in the ear. They can withstand sweat and water splashes.

Nothing's hardware and software have both been adjusted by Swedish electronics house Teenage Engineering, and they're fitted with 11.6mm drivers. The earphones are quite light, weighing only 4.7 grams each. The popular AirPods Pro weighs 5.4 grams each earbud, whereas Sony's WF-1000XM4 weighs 7.4 grams per earpiece.

Pic Credit: Nothing

Three microphones are used for active noise cancellation, with variable settings depending on how much of the outside world you wish to hear. Nothing claims that Light mode gives moderate noise cancellation, while Maximum mode cranks it up to its maximum level.

Transparency mode allows a blend of outside sound to pass through, which is beneficial when you're at an office or on a busy street and need situational awareness, while Clear Voice technology promises to reduce background wind noise and other background noise during calls.

When used with the charging case, the earbuds have a battery life of up to 34 hours, and with ANC turned off, the earbuds have a battery life of 5.7 hours (dropping to 24 hours and four hours with ANC on, respectively). They may be charged wirelessly or with a USB-C cable using Qi-compatible chargers.

Tap and gesture controls are available on the Ear (1)s, and they can be adjusted via a companion app that also handles EQ and Find my Earbud features. They also have Bluetooth 5.2 and are IPX4 water-resistant. With compatible Android devices, fast pairing will be feasible.

The Ear (1) earbuds will be available to buy on August 17th in 45 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, for $99 / £99 / €99.