Nothing's first wireless in-ear headphones are coming in June: get ready for Ear 1

(Image credit: Nothing)

In the six short months since Carl Pei (the brains behind smartphone brand OnePlus) announced the launch of his new London-based tech brand, Nothing, the firm has not only garnered plenty of interest and investment, but clearly has been working long hours. Because Nothing has revealed that it's first product will be with us this summer.

We already knew that the brand intended to kick off its offering with some AirPods rivalling true wireless earbuds, but we didn't know the name or slated month of release – until now.

The Nothing Ear 1 (yes, that's the name) is on course to be unveiled in June this year – a quite remarkable achievement for the young company.

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How much new product information has been released? Almost, er, nothing. On its website, the firm announces that "Design is still top secret but what we can tell you is that Ear 1 combines notes of transparency, iconic form, and refined functionality."

Could Nothing's main image (above) be indicative of a new toothbrush-head esque design? Hard to say.

What do we know? Through tantalising bits of information the company just released on its website, it's abundantly clear that Nothing's raison d'etre is "A journey towards nothing... Our mission is to remove barriers between people and technology to create a seamless digital future that looks, lives, and feels like nothing."

Carl Pei of Nothing — (Image credit: Nothing)

Are we to expect the first consumer headphones not to adopt a tangible, physical form? Not quite. Nothing explains, "For those hoping for a disappearing act overnight, Ear 1 falls short", adding, "The greatest visions are not realised with the flip of a switch, but instead through countless small successes. Ear 1 is just the start."

Intriguing stuff. And there's more: "Everything that is Ear 1 is there with purpose. Everything you see and everything you don’t see. Even the name. Mirroring the product’s stripped-down aesthetic, the name Ear 1 echoes our raw ambition – to let things be what they are."

No word on battery life, Bluetooth profiles, IP rating, features or pricing for the Ear 1 then. Nevertheless, we're putting a note on our Google calendar for June...

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Becky has been a full-time staff writer at What Hi-Fi? since March 2019. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, she freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 20-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance is of course tethered to a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo, This is Cabaret and The Stage. When not writing, she dances, spins in the air, drinks coffee, watches football or surfs in Cornwall with her other half – a football writer whose talent knows no bounds.