See-through gadget specialist Nothing is just days away from unleashing two new pairs of wireless earbuds, which it says is the “ultimate evolution” of the firm’s audio efforts. The Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear (a) will land on the 18th of April, with a simpler naming scheme, improved ANC, and superior sound.
That’s according to Wired, which got exclusive details ahead of Nothing’s official unveiling. Allegedly both models will get new 12mm ceramic drivers for “crisper, clearer” high-end frequencies, and a revised internal design that creates a more impactful low-end.
The top-tier Nothing Ear is expected to replace the current Nothing Ear 2, and will take active noise cancellation up from 40dB to 45dB. Ear 2 (a), meanwhile, is reportedly a revised take on the Nothing Ear Stick; the bud-style earphones are a direct rival to Apple’s AirPods, which ditch silicone tips in favour of a more comfortable fit, but at the expense of background sound isolation.
Full specs are seemingly being saved for the full reveal on the 18th, as is pricing and an on-sale date. Posting to X (formerly Twitter), it simply confirmed the Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear (a) names and said the pair “reflect the culmination of three years of design and innovation”.
It’s a mystery as to whether Nothing has also shaken things up on the design front; the firm has only released a single teaser image so far, which is too zoomed in to spot any significant differences. That there’ll be some visible circuitry in the stems seems like a safe bet.
Nothing previously teased the two new products with an image of a beetle facing off against a frog. It continues the firm’s penchant for animal-related launches: a ladybird beetle for Ear 1, parrot for Phone 1, butterfly for Ear Stick, and an Octopus for Phone 2.
If Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear (a) will be directly replacing Ear 2 and Ear Stick, I’d expect pricing to be roughly on par with the £129 and £99 those models originally retail for. We’ll know for sure on April 18.
Related: What are the best noise cancelling headphones? Ultimate ANC choices reviewed
