Nothing appears ready to expand its audio lineup with a wallet-friendly over-ear model dubbed Headphone (a), and early leaks point to a notably lower price than the brand’s debut full-size cans. If accurate, the move would mark a calculated push into the mainstream where value and design have to work in lockstep.
What the Latest Leak Suggests About Pricing and Colors
French outlet Dealabs, echoed by Notebookcheck, reports that Headphone (a) could land at €159 in Europe and £149 in the UK, roughly half of what the flagship Headphone 1 commanded at launch. Four colorways are said to be on the table: black, white, pink, and yellow, signaling a broader style play beyond the more restrained palette used previously.
While no official specs have surfaced, the pricing alone hints at a model designed to undercut established mid-range competitors without abandoning the brand’s signature transparent aesthetic. Sources also suggest preorders would arrive shortly before retail availability, indicating a straightforward rollout once the announcement hits.
Positioning in a Crowded Mid-Range Headphone Market
At €159/£149, Nothing would be planting a flag in the same territory as Sony’s WH-CH720N and JBL’s Tune and Live series. For context, Sony’s WH-CH720N typically lists near $149 with lightweight construction, ANC, and up to 35 hours of battery life with noise canceling on. JBL’s Tune 770NC often hovers between $129 and $149, touting 70 hours with ANC off and roughly 40–44 hours with ANC on. Anker’s Soundcore Space One has also disrupted this bracket with strong ANC and a list price frequently under $149.
The mid-range is where unit volumes concentrate. Retail trackers such as Circana (formerly NPD) routinely show sub-$200 headphones dominating sales by units, while premium models capture more revenue. On the broader wearables front, IDC has consistently reported hearables accounting for well over 60% of global wearable shipments, underscoring how much of the market sits within mainstream price points.
Features Likely on the Table for Nothing Headphone (a)
Nothing’s Headphone 1 drew attention with KEF-tuned audio, robust ANC, LDAC support, and headline battery life up to 80 hours. Hitting roughly half the price means Headphone (a) will almost certainly trim somewhere—materials could shift to more plastic, ANC might use fewer microphones, and codec support may lean on AAC and SBC rather than LDAC. Multipoint Bluetooth and a dependable companion app are likely; spatial audio and premium-grade adaptive ANC would be less certain at this tier.
Battery life could become the swing factor. If Headphone (a) lands near 40–60 hours (ANC off) and maintains 30+ hours with ANC on, it will match or exceed many rivals in the bracket. Weight and clamp force will also matter: the CH720N, for instance, wins fans with a notably light build, while overly rigid headbands can be deal-breakers in long sessions.
A Calculated Step For Nothing’s Portfolio
The rumored pricing mirrors the brand’s recent playbook in earbuds, where models like Ear (a) opened the door to wider audiences without abandoning the design-first identity. A lower-cost over-ear could do the same for fans who admired the transparent aesthetic but balked at premium pricing, helping Nothing expand from a design-forward niche into volume-driving SKUs.
It also creates a laddered portfolio: Headphone 1 can remain the showcase for higher-end features, while Headphone (a) operates as the accessible entry point. That segmentation is standard for category leaders and gives Nothing flexibility to iterate faster without confusing the lineup.
Key Questions Before the Reveal and Official Details
There are several details that will determine how disruptive Headphone (a) really is. Audio tuning is the big one: even if KEF collaboration doesn’t carry over, a well-balanced default curve and stable app EQ could be enough to win the price tier. ANC quality, wind handling, and transparency mode fidelity will also separate it from typical mid-range fare.
Connectivity and durability could be deciding factors. Look for Bluetooth 5.x with a stable multipoint, reliable voice call performance with beamforming, USB-C fast charging, and at least basic water resistance. If Nothing can deliver those fundamentals alongside the brand’s eye-catching design at the leaked price, it becomes an easy shortlist pick for value-focused buyers.
Nothing has not confirmed pricing or specifications, and launch timing remains unofficial. Still, the consistency of recent leaks—and the strategic logic behind a sub-€160/£150 model—suggests Headphone (a) could be the company’s most important audio release yet, taking its signature look into the heart of the mainstream market.
