Nothing launches first open-ear wireless earbuds with focus on comfort

Nothing has introduced the Ear Open, its first open wearable stereo (OWS) earbuds suitable for people prioritising comfort over advanced features such as active noise cancellation. The Ear Open will let users be aware of their surroundings while performing their tasks, such as working in an office. The unique open-ear design wraps around the ear to offer a headphone-like experience without the bulk and occasional discomfort.

Nothing Ear Open price

Launched in the US, Canada, and select European markets, the Nothing Ear Open costs $149. The earbuds are now up for pre-orders in eligible markets, but the company says they will be available globally starting October 1. Nothing did not mention anything about their India availability explicitly.

Nothing Ear Open specifications

Joining the emerging trend where brands deliberately omit active noise cancellation for a more comfortable design – because there is a market for such on-ear earbuds, the Nothing Ear Open sticks to the signature transparent design. It has a silicone ear hook that goes inside the ears, while its other end goes around the ear’s curvature. Nothing claims the Ear Open earbuds use a “three-point balance system” to ensure equal distribution of the weight since these earbuds are the company’s heaviest.

The Nothing Ear Open features 14.2mm drivers and uses Bluetooth 5.3 with support for AAC and SBC codecs. The company claims the earbuds can connect to two devices simultaneously and offer a “Low Lag Mode” for low latency in gaming, which turns on automatically on Nothing Phone models and needs manual intervention on other phones through the mobile app. The dedicated app also lets users enable ChatGPT integration on the earbuds for quick response from AI right to the ears. While the earbuds do not have active noise cancellation, Nothing has equipped the Ear Open with Clear Voice Technology 3.0 for clearer calls. The company claims the Ear Open can last up to 30 hours on full charge (including the case), while a 10-minute charge will provide two hours of listening.