Nothing Ear (open) ships in October for $149 with a fully open-ear design

Ben Schoon | Sep 24 2024 - 6:00 am PT

Nothing is launching its first-ever pair of earbuds with an open-ear design in the Nothing Ear (open).

The Nothing Ear (open) are a pair of earbuds that don’t sit within your ears, but rather sit on top with a wraparound design that holds a pair of 14.2mm drivers in a spot where you can hear them without having outside sounds blocked. The idea there is to help you stay aware of your surroundings without missing out on your music, podcasts, or whatever else you might be streaming.

Nothing says that Ear (open) “blends superior sound quality with comfort and situational awareness.”

Ear (open) works like the rest of the brand’s lineup of audio products, connecting to Android or iOS smartphones and delivering a balanced sound profile. The Nothing X app can be used to tweak the equalizer, with support for a full custom equalizer like on the regular Nothing Ear. Nothing says that a “Bass Enhance algorithm” is automatically applied to help boost the low-ends, something that often suffers with open-ear designs. The earbuds also use a “Sound Seal System” to help minimize sound leakage to those around you, all while still providing immersive audio.

Battery life on Ear (open) is comparable to the regular Nothing Ear, with 8 hours of playback through the earbuds and up to 30 hours added by the case. There’s no ANC due to the open design, and the case battery life is slightly shorter as a result of the extremely thin design of the case which measures just 19mm. The elongated design uses magnetics to hold the earbuds in place. One hardware feature missing from the case, though, is wireless charging, but these can still be topped off via USB-C.

If you’re paired with a Nothing Phone, you’ll also find ChatGPT integration here. There’s also pinch control for play/pause, skipping songs, answering/declining calls, and adjusting the volume.

Nothing Ear (open) are available for pre-order today with open purchase and shipments beginning on October 1. They’re available only in white.