Nothing Ear 1 true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds launched last week as the new venture’s first device created by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei. The earbuds offer a range of distinctive features to attract consumers. One of these, of course, is the largely transparent design. The price of Nothing, Ear 1 in India is also quite competitive with other TWS earbuds that offer similar features and specs. The company wants to take over Apple’s AirPods Pro with the Ear 1 earbud. But how well is it able to do that?
On this week’s Gadgets 360 podcast Orbital episode, host Akhil Arora speaks with our in-house audio expert Ali Pardiwala, along with MySmartPrice Editor-in-Chief Ershad Kaleebullah and Headphone Zone Founder and CEO Raghav Somani, to detail the Nothing Ear 1 and how they fit in Indian TWS market.
Nothing was launched earlier this year, just months after Carl Pei left OnePlus. However, rather than continue the journey Pei left with his Chinese company, the London-based startup chose TWS earbuds as its first product category. It unveiled the Ear 1 as its first-ever offering in that category.
Before the official announcement, nothing did much to create hype for the Ear 1 earbud, just as OnePlus initially gained popularity among enthusiasts. Hyping the product wasn’t all Pei’s team did, though. It also brought a unique transparent design with Swedish audio startup Teenage Engineering. The company also partnered with Flipkart specifically for the Indian market to reduce logistics and variable costs to some extent and bring the Ear 1 earbud at a special price of Rs. 5.999. It is significantly below the global price of GBP 99 (approximately Rs. 10,200).
Nothing Ear 1 True Wireless Earphones First Impressions: Something Out of Nothing
The Ear 1 also comes with features such as active noise cancellation (ANC) and wireless charging (in addition to normal wired charging) to deliver a full-fledged TWS earbud experience. While the price of the Ear 1 puts it in a crowded segment with options from companies such as Anker Soundcore, Realme, and Oppo, Nothing is also targeting Apple’s premium AirPods Pro, which is currently priced at Rs. 24,999 – you can get them around Rs. 18,000-20,000 during an online sale, that is.
We discuss how well the Nothing Ear 1 does against the competition and whether it can fight the AirPods Pro and its ilk. We also talk about things like the sound experience and battery life. And that brings us to the main concern with TWS earbuds: their small (custom-made) batteries shorten their lifespan and contribute to e-waste, a growing problem in today’s world.
So, without further ado, hit the play button on the Spotify player embedded above to listen to our discussion.
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