Quick Summary
Carl Pei has confirmed that the Nothing Ear and Ear (a) buds will soon receive an update to improve the transparency mode on each.
He has also revealed that the company is investigating whether it can bring the enhanced feature to the Nothing Ear (2) buds as well.
Nothing will soon push an update to its latest wireless earbuds that will upgrade one of their key features.
The Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear (a) buds will receive "noticeable improvements" to the transparency mode on each. This will likely mean that the in-ears will perform better when you want to also listen to your surroundings – such as when someone is speaking to you.
Nothing's founder and CEO, Carl Pei, confirmed the upgrade on his X feed, although he hasn't yet said when the over-the-air update might arrive.
Noticeable improvements to transparency mode coming for Ear and Ear (a) soon.Thanks for all the feedback so far, keep it coming!April 26, 2024
The update will more-than-likely be pushed via the dedicated smartphone app for iOS and Android (as per normal).
Owners of other Nothing headphones might also benefit from the renewed mode in the future, as Pei added that the Nothing Ear (2) buds are being assessed at present.
The Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear (a) models were launched earlier in April to expand the London brand's lineup.
The Ear buds are the pricier pair, at £129 / $149, but come with an expanded set of specifications and features. That includes a waterproof case with wireless charging and Bass Enhance for a greater grasp on low frequencies. You also get a raft of new EQ controls to alter the sound signature to your liking.
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There is active noise cancellation, too, and an improvement in battery life (in comparison with the original Nothing Ear).
The Nothing Ear (a) is an even more affordable offering, priced at £99 / $99.
There is no advanced EQ functionality, nor the ability to wirelessly charge the case, but everything else is pretty much the same. We particularly like the extra yellow colour option, which is about as Teenage Engineering as you can get (just take a look at the Playdate, also designed by the collective).
Both sets of earbuds are available now, as are the Nothing Ear (2) buds, which might be found a bit cheaper these days.
Rik is T3’s news editor, which means he looks after the news team and the up-to-the-minute coverage of all the hottest gadgets and products you’ll definitely want to read about. And, with more than 35 years of experience in tech and entertainment journalism, including editing and writing for numerous websites, magazines, and newspapers, he’s always got an eye on the next big thing.
Rik also has extensive knowledge of AV, TV streaming and smart home kit, plus just about everything to do with games since the late 80s. Prior to T3, he spent 13 years at Pocket-lint heading up its news team, and was a TV producer and presenter on such shows as Channel 4's GamesMaster, plus Sky's Games World, Game Over, and Virtual World of Sport.
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