Nothing Ear (2) launch – an update to their flagship $149 earbuds
Tech company Nothing launches their fourth product and update to their top-end, active noise cancelling, true wireless earbuds – the Ear (2).
Nothing, a consumer tech manufacturer from ex-OnePlus CEO Carl Pei, launched the first product, the Ear (1) back in July 2021. At $99, they were a great pair of true wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling and a unique design. Fast forward just over a year and one phone later, Nothing also dropped the Ear (stick). Ear (stick), were a new pair of $99 true wireless earbuds, without the active noise cancelling. At the same time, Nothing raised the price of the Ear (1) to $149, making the Ear (stick) the cheaper alternative (sneaky move).
This week Nothing announced and released the Ear (2), an update to their Ear (1) true wireless earbuds. With slight improvements across the board, the Ear (2) represent everything a good, matured, second-generation product should be.
Nothing Ear (2) come with a similar unique design to the earbuds and case. Ear (2)’s clear plastic case is slightly smaller, lighter and studier than the previous model’s. At 4.5g, each bud is slightly lighter too. Both the buds and case have improved water and sweat resistance: IP54 on the buds and IP55 on the case, which should keep you safe from rain and accidental spills.
Inside the buds, you’ll find a new dual chamber design, with the same 11.6mm custom drivers. The Ear (2)s support Bluetooth 5.3, LHDC 5.0 codec and are 24-bit Hi-Res Audio Certified. LHDC 5.0 codec can receive Bluetooth audio transmission at up to 1 Mbps and frequencies up to 24-bit/192 kHz. For reference, MP3 tops out at around 0.3 Mbps (320 kbps), while CD quality is around 1.4 Mbps (1,411 kbps).
Active noise cancellation is also improved on Nothing’s second edition Ear buds. With three levels and up to 40 dB in noise reduction, personalised ANC tailors to the shape of your ears.
Further smart features come from improved Clear Voice Technology, using three mics per bud, Dual Connection, which allows for seamless switching between two devices, Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair for easy pairing on Android and PCs, in-ear detection, and a new Low Lag Mode for gaming on Nothing Phone (1).
Use the Nothing X mobile app to access additional features. The new personal sound profile adjusts the EQ settings in real-time based on you and what you’re listening to. Nothing X gives you further customisation over the EQ, as well as software updates, and the new Ear Tip Fit Test. Ear (2) comes with three different tip sizes: small, medium and large, to ensure the perfect seal. You can also customise the stem’s press controls in the app, to assign presses and holds to play/pause, skip tracks, adjust volume, answer/hand up/reject calls, and switch noise cancellation modes.
Despite the smaller form factor, Ear (2) sees improvements in the battery life. With the case and ANC off, you’ll find up to 36 hours of playback, up from 34 hours. The buds alone will achieve 6.3 hours. Switch ANC on, you’ll get up to 22.5 hours and 4 hours in the buds alone. The case charge via USB-C or Qi wireless charging. A wired connection can get you 8 hours from just 10 minutes of charing.
Ear (2) are available to order today in white for $149. Nothing’s Ear (1) earbuds saw a release of a black version four months after release, so we can expect a similar schedule from these too. The announcement of the earbuds came alongside a launch video, which is less of a launch video and more CEO Carl Pei becoming a full tech YouTuber.