Transparency is one of Nothing’s main design themes for consumer electronics. The company’s earbuds and smartphones feature transparent elements, making them stand out from increasingly more competitive markets.
So when I saw the yellow Nothing Ear A earbuds in leaked images, I could not believe my eyes. These are still transparent earbuds. But instead of using the muted black and white of their predecessors, Nothing is going for a yellow shade that looks amazing.
It appears to be a partnership with Playdate, the lovely-looking gaming handheld that also comes in yellow. I really care more about the color here than the actual Playdate partnership.
Also, the prices aren’t bad either, as those leaked as well. But, unfortunately, the yellow color is reserved for the Nothing Ear A. The more high-end Nothing Ear models will come only in black and white.
You’ll find images for both models and color options over at Android Headlines, which scored the leaked images.
The timing of the leak couldn’t be better, as Nothing announced recently that it’d unveil new Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear A products on April 18th:
2024 is the year we’re unveiling the ultimate iteration of Nothing Audio with two new products that reflect the culmination of three years of design and innovation. What we envisioned from the start – premium for everyone that isn’t about market price, but user preference.
And yes, the numbering scheme is officially out by design, but you get the gist. One is the more expensive model, the other the more affordable one.
The 2024 Nothing Ear model will come in black and white and cost €150 ($163). They’ll feature active noise cancellation, dual connection, and IP54 water and dust resistance. The case gets an IPX2 rating.
Battery life sits at 7.5 hours with ANC turned off and 33 hours when you factor in the charging case. As an owner of the Nothing Ear 1 model, I’m sure these will sound even better than the first-gen design. But what attracts me more than the new Nothing Ear is the yellow Nothing Ear A.
Yes, it’s all about colors here. I often say I don’t care about smartphone colors, and I’d ultimately buy a phone in any color as long as it’s the model I want. With earbuds that sell for €100 ($109) in 2024, I don’t care about the other specs.
The other specs are great, by the way. The Nothing Ear A gets 8 hours of battery life with ANC turned off, for 38 hours with the case. That’s even better than the Ear flagship model, especially for my needs. I’d use the yellow Ear A models while training for a marathon, which takes plenty of free time and earbud use.
In addition to yellow, the Ear A will come in black and white.
As for the Playdate partnership, Android Headlines doesn’t mention it. But 9to5Google points out a recent teaser from Nothing on X:
Nothing mentioned the April 18th date, and teased the “play date.” The Playdate teaser dropped on X a couple of days before Nothing teased the launch of the new Ear models.
The Nothing Ear and Ear A models should be available in Europe soon after the April 18th announcement. They’ll probably launch in the US, but I’m just speculating based on the current availability of Nothing Ear products on Amazon.
Will there be Nothing-Ear-A-Playdate bundles? If the yellow color does suggest a Playdate partnership, one could only hope that’s the case.
