July is set to be a significant month for the British tech firm Nothing, as it prepares to launch its “first true flagship,” the Nothing Phone 3, alongside a new audio device, the Nothing Headphone 1.
The Headphone 1 is scheduled for release on July 1, as announced by Nothing’s founder and CEO Carl Pei during his presentation at SXSW London on Thursday. “This is our first pair of over-ear headphones,” he stated. “Many of our users have been requesting this.”
Speculation and teasers about the headphones have been making rounds online for a while, with the Nothing product design team suggesting in a video that this new offering will compete with Apple’s AirPods Max in terms of sound quality, while being significantly more affordable. There isn’t much additional information available regarding the headphones at this moment, although last month, Nothing revealed a partnership with British audio brand KEF for future products. Currently, Nothing has not verified whether the Headphone 1 falls under this collaboration.
Audio is not an unfamiliar territory for Nothing. In fact, the company’s initial venture into hardware was with the Nothing Ear 1, earbuds that garnered attention due to their eye-catching transparent design. Pei explained that the company’s emphasis on design is “essential,” as it entered the market later and needed a way to stand out. “We refer to it as technical warmth,” he noted, elaborating on Nothing’s design philosophy. “At first glance, these components may seem very mechanical, but once you explore a bit further, you’ll discover many enjoyable features.”
Pei also provided a glimpse into what the future may hold for the company. “The smartphone is the most crucial product today, but that doesn’t imply it will always hold that title,” he remarked. He expressed interest in the new form factors that tech companies are introducing, but ideally, he hopes Nothing will be the one to discover the next groundbreaking tech product.
“For me, achieving success in the next five years would mean genuinely identifying that new form factor,” he concluded.