Nothing Ear: Why do youngsters like these earphones?

When tech biggies Carl Pei left smartphone giant OnePlus in October 2020, he created news. The next announcement was that he had formed a company called Nothing. And in 2021, Nothing introduced its first product, Ear, which is, of course, an earphone. The choice is not strange at all. Work and study from home is routine for Ear’s targeted buyers, mainly teenagers and young adults. They would love to have an audio accessory that looks great and works well.  

But is it worthwhile to spend INR 6000 on a pair of earphones? A lot of young people are also very cost-conscious, unlike what older people may think. Young buyers are also choosy about technical standards. What are the features of Nothing Ear that makes it tick? Let’s see.  

Design and ease of use  
Nothing Ear is transparent, which is a refreshing break from the white and black earbuds that have been flooding the market ever since Apple released the design and colours for iPods. They are also lighter in weight than other earphones, have just a red dot to mark right ear instead of L and R markings, and the rounded, bulbous plugs fit neatly into the ear hole.  

Sturdy casing for portability  
The case is transparent too and quite sturdy. There is a circular indent on the top of the case. This is to keep the buds firmly in place inside the case, but for young users, the indent is a portability add-on as they can carry it easily.   

High standard of audio output  
With the eye-catching design is not all. Nothing Ear collaborate with Swedish audio engineering house Teenage Engineering. The name signifies its marketing angle, but the engineers have done a good job too.  Nothing Ear actually has an app to allow users fuller control over their listening experience. The bass is deep but not heavy like a car stereo, the trebles are detailed and the mid-range sounds well balanced. One of the biggest assets is the clarity with which Nothing Ear presents vocals, definitely a major draw for Indians who want to listen to songs. Its Bluetooth v5.2 connectivity is also commendably fast.  

Long battery life  
About an hour’s charge on the USB lasts almost a week with 3 to 4 hours of listening per day. Wireless charging takes longer, but it works.