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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Nothing announces the Ear 3, the third generation of its flagship earbuds.
- A functioning microphone inside the charging case is the standout feature.
- The earbuds will be available to preorder for $179 on Sept. 18.
Following the release of its capable flagship smartphone and nothing-short-of-interesting over-ear headphones, Nothing is releasing the next generation of its flagship earbuds, the Ear 3. Nothing introduces a list of upgrades to the Ear 3, including improved battery performance, a bigger speaker driver, LDAC compatibility, and a distinctive feature in the charging case.
Super Mic
Nothing positions the Ear 3’s standout feature to be the Super Mic, a dual-microphone system inside the earbuds’ charging case. According to Nothing, the Super Mic’s noise-filtering technology allows clear voice calls in busy environments.
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If you have a Nothing Phone 3, you can use the Super Mic to record Essential Space ideas. Essential Space is Nothing’s AI-powered hub for users to collect and organize information, and users can quickly capture voice notes with the Super Mic to be processed in Essential Space.
Otherwise, the Super Mic is available for taking phone calls or recording voice notes. The earbuds are also equipped for phone calls, as each earbud includes three directional microphones and uses bone conduction technology for enhanced voice pickup.
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The Ear 3 uses bone conduction technology alongside an AI-powered noise cancellation algorithm to isolate your voice when speaking into the earbuds’ microphone, blocking environmental noises and wind interference.
Other features
According to Nothing, the Ear 3 have an upgraded battery, promising 10 hours of continuous listening time, a four-hour increase over the Ear 2. The Ear 3 received an IP54 dust and water resistance rating, the same rating as the previous generation. Thus, the Ear 3 are well protected from dust and can withstand splashes of water, fit for sweaty workouts and short bouts of light rain.
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A larger 12mm dynamic driver promises deeper bass and overall improved sound quality, and Nothing replaced the LHDC Bluetooth codec with Sony’s high-quality LDAC Bluetooth codec. Although the Nothing Phone 3 is compatible with LDAC, so are Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy smartphones. If you plan to use the Ear 3 with an iPhone, you’re out of luck.
Availability
The Nothing Ear 3 will be available in Black and White for $179, a $30 increase over their predecessors. Global preorders begin on Sept. 18, and wider availability on Sept. 25.
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