Nothing is formally making its personal pair of over-the-ear wi-fi Bluetooth headphones. The corporate confirmed the information in an nearly four-minute video the place the London-based design crew mentioned their targets for the still-unnamed audio gear.
The information follows Nothing’s announcement earlier this week that it will likely be partnering with British hi-fi establishment KEF on new audio merchandise, though there was no point out of this enterprise within the video.
Whereas the main points had been sparse, we did study a handful of key components that will set the Nothing over-ear headphones other than rivals like Apple and Sony.
The truth is, the video kicks off with the designers pondering what “XM6” means, presumably referring to the trio of characters within the relatively unwieldy identify of Sony’s latest and, for the second, industry-leading headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM6.
Principally, although, the crew focuses on the alternatives they’re making for Nothing’s first over-ear headphones.
Worth
Worth is a large consideration. Calling out the $549 AirPods Max from Apple, which price about as a lot as two last-gen Nothing telephones, the crew mentioned it desires to supply cheaper headphones, ones that price far lower than AirPods Max.
As for the way a lot much less, properly, one designer talked about the value, however in that second, his voice was muted and his mouth was coated with somewhat message saying that Nothing has to maintain some secrets and techniques.
After all Nothing has type on this space. We awarded its finances earbuds the Nothing Ear (a) a five-star overview and think about them to be among the many finest earbuds you should purchase, and so they price a mere $99 / £99 / AU$169.
In the meantime, the Nothing Ear earbuds, now on their third technology, are barely dearer – however we nonetheless proclaimed them to be “punching well out of their price class.”
Ease of use
The designers complain that with most headphones, the buttons all really feel the identical, and it’s inconceivable to know when you’re touching the quantity, pause, or Bluetooth controls. Nothing will, it appears, do it in another way, designing all buttons to be “completely distinct.”
The hope is that there will probably be “no doubt about which control you’re about to touch, [so] you don’t make mistakes and we get out of the way of that music listening experience.”
Make it particular
Nothing’s designers say they will do issues with headphones that the massive firms can not, as a result of the massive tech firms “just can’t take risks; they’ve got to think about this whole global program…and millions and millions of users.”
Nothing, in contrast, contends it will possibly simply take an concept, construct it, take a look at it, and “put it out there.” To be honest, that’s actually the way it appears with Nothing’s uncommon and iconic smartphones.
Make the most effective audio
Nothing’s already bought a big expertise and a fairly good observe file within the audio area. Its wi-fi headphones presently sit close to the highest of our Finest Wi-fi Earbuds of 2025.
As for the way good these over-the-ear headphones sound correct now, one Nothing designer mentioned, “I’m already impressed. They’re not finished, but you know, I think these might be some of the best sounding on the market.”
Not simply of their value vary, both; Nothing believes these headphones will “punch above their weight.”
Nothing’s confidence goes even additional, because the crew muses that these headphones are pretty much as good as these you may pay twice as a lot for, after which provides that they’re “better than AirPods Max, and that was always the goal.”
A clue
One attention-grabbing takeaway is that whereas Nothing isn’t sharing the value, they seem to notice that these headphones are pretty much as good as ones costing twice as a lot, after which point out the $549 AirPods Max. Does that imply the Nothing Headphones may checklist for $275?
Whereas no identify was talked about, we’re prepared to guess that “Ear” will probably be within the identify and that the total identify may very well be “Nothing Ear (Pros)”.
That’s all of the element we gleaned from Nothing’s uncommon announcement video, with the one different tidbit being that these headphones will ship this summer time.
It’s too early to say if they may really beat AirPods Max or method Sony’s glorious audio high quality. However contemplating Nothing’s audio observe file, this may certainly be a launch to look at.
