Nothing launches Ear (3) with upgraded design, audio, and Super Mic; India awaits a launch date

Nothing has introduced Ear (3), the third generation of its flagship True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds. The new model brings updates across design, sound, and call quality, while also debuting a new microphone system integrated into the charging case.

Super Mic and call clarity

The standout addition is Super Mic, a dual-microphone array housed inside the charging case. Activated via a dedicated TALK button, it uses ambient filtering to suppress background noise up to 95 dB, aimed at clearer conversations even in loud environments. It also doubles as a quick voice recorder, with captured notes syncing to Nothing’s Essential Space and transcribing automatically on devices running Nothing OS.

Each earbud continues to feature three microphones along with a bone-conduction Voice Pick-up Unit (VPU). This setup converts vibrations from the jaw and ear canal into electrical signals, improving voice pickup even in noisy settings. Backed by AI-driven environmental noise cancellation trained on more than 20 million hours of audio, the system is designed to cut wind noise by over 25 dB.

Noise cancellation and sound

The earbuds support real-time adaptive noise cancellation of up to 45 dB. The system recalibrates every 600 milliseconds to adjust to the environment and also monitors earbud fit every 1,875 milliseconds to maintain consistent isolation.

For audio, Nothing has upgraded to a 12 mm dynamic driver with a patterned diaphragm, offering a 20% larger radiating area than the previous generation. The company claims this results in stronger bass (up to 6 dB increase) and cleaner treble for a broader soundstage.

Design and build

Ear (3) continues Nothing’s transparent design language but now incorporates metal elements. A new Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) antenna improves connection strength, with a claimed 15% increase in total radiated power and 20% better sensitivity compared to Ear (2).The charging case is built from 100% recycled aluminium and produced through 27 precision processes. It uses nano injection moulding to fuse metal and plastic without glue, creating a compact unibody finish.

Battery and performance

Battery life has been extended, with each earbud offering up to 10 hours of playback (a 90-minute improvement over Ear 2) and 38 hours with the charging case. A 10-minute charge provides up to 10 hours of listening. Wireless charging is also supported.

The earbuds use Bluetooth 5.4 with LDAC for high-resolution audio streaming, and a low-latency mode reduces delay to under 120 ms for gaming or video. They support Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, and iOS devices. Integration with the Nothing X app allows customization of controls and access to services such as Essential Space and ChatGPT.

Both the earbuds and the case carry an IP54 rating for dust, sweat, and splash resistance.

Price and availability

Nothing Ear (3) will be available globally in black and white at £179 / $179 / €179. Pre-orders start on September 18, 2025, via Nothing.tech and select partners, with open sales beginning September 25 in certain regions. The India launch is planned but pricing and availability are yet to be announced.