UPDATE 7/27: Nothing today officially unveiled its $99 Ear(1) earbuds. They do indeed feature active noise cancellation, as well as a transparent mode that allows in some outside noise. They will provide up to 34 hours of listening with the case and ANC turned off; 5 hours with the earbuds, the company said.
At 4.7 grams, they're "ultra light," Nothing says. (The AirPods Pro come in at 5.4 grams.) They feature an 11.6mm speaker driver and sound from Teenage Engineering. Each set of Ear(1) earbuds come with three tips for a customized fit, plus pressure-relieving vents.
"You might forget you're wearing them, and that's the point," Nothing says.
For workouts, the Ear(1) buds are rating IPX4 for sweat- and water-resistance.
The earbuds will be compatible with iOS 11 and above and Android 5.1 and above and will pair instantly with Android phones. They come with a wireless charging case and USB-C cable.
The earbuds arrive starting with a "limited drop" on July 31, Nothing says. A wider release in 45 countries is scheduled for Aug. 17.
Original Story:Looking for a sub-$100 pair of active noise cancelling earbuds? On Tuesday, Nothing—a startup from OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei—revealed some key selling points to its first product. The upcoming Bluetooth earbuds will only cost $99.
The same earbuds, dubbed Ear (1), will also have a high-end feature—active noise cancellation (ANC)—via three high-definition built-in microphones, the company said in an email.
As a result, the upcoming product promises to arrive as one of the more affordable active-noise cancelling earbuds on the market. Other products from well-known brands, including Apple’s AirPods Pro, can cost over $200.
Samsung, on the other hand, did release the Galaxy Buds Live, a more affordable pair of Bluetooth earbuds with ANC. It's selling for as low as $108, but the ANC is shoddily implemented, making it feel almost nonexistent, according to our review.
We’ll have to see if Nothing can pull off ANC without any major compromises. The startup plans to reveal all during a July 27 online event. In the meantime, the company has been trying to build up the hype with teaser videos and pictures.
Pei also sat down for an interview with TechCrunch, where he said the features on the Ear (1) product will be similar to the AirPods Pro. The earbuds are also going to stand out, thanks to the unconventional see-through design. In March, Nothing revealed a prototype for the Ear (1), which adopted a transparent casing. However, the final product is going to look “sexier,” according to Pei.
Pei's former employer, OnePlus, is also giving the wireless headphones market a go with the OnePlus Buds. They retail for $79, but do not feature ANC.