Along with the announcement of the Nothing Phone (3) smartphone, they have also introduced their first headphones, the Nothing Headphone (1). It takes inspiration from the 80s headphone design combined with a futuristic translucent design.
The headphones are of the closed-back type with each ear cup equipped with 40mm audio drivers and an audio system tuned by KEF. The power control button, ANC, calling a virtual assistant, skipping music and Bluetooth tethering are all placed on the left ear cup. Interestingly on the Headphone (1) is the button to change the audio volume level that detects finger swipes.
If pressed for a long time, it will activate ANC or turn on transparent mode. A pedal-like switch is also used to skip music and if pressed for a long time, it will change the speed of music playing forward or backward. The implementation of Nothing is different from other headphones on the market. In fact, the Bluetooth tethering button is hidden on the inside of the right ear cup.
The square-shaped ear cups are made of metal with an outer surface made of plastic with transparent elements. The ear pads are made of sponge and PU for comfort. The headband is made of metal and plastic with adjustable arms.
The headphones (1) can be used via Bluetooth tethering, 3.5 mm cable and USB-C cable. Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair fast tethering systems are included. Supported codecs are SBC, AAC, and LDAC. Lossless audio streaming can be enjoyed using a USB-C cable. In addition, the headphones also support spatial audio and head tracking when worn.
The storage case is square and quite large in size. This is because like the Sony XM5 and Sonos Ace, these headphones cannot be folded. Instead, only the arm connecting the ear cups to the head can be rotated 90 degrees so that the headphones can be placed flat in the storage case or on a flat surface.
The 1040 mAh battery can last up to 80 hours when used without ANC and the AAC codec. This is reduced to 35 hours if ANC is turned on. LDAC streaming will reduce the usage life to only 30 hours with ANC. According to Nothing, the headphones can be recharged in 120 minutes.
Similar to the Nothing Phone (3), pre-orders for the Nothing Headphone (1) will also open starting July 12, 2025 via their online Shopee store, and will come with a price tag of RM1099. The headphones will also go on sale on August 1, 2025.