Nothing Ear 3 to be launched on Sep 18: Super Mic, aluminium frame expected

Nothing is set to launch the Ear 3 on September 18 with a new Super Mic, aluminium design, and audio upgrades, while also outlining ambitions for future AI-native devices

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Nothing is preparing to launch its next flagship wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear 3, on September 18. The company has already revealed the design of the earbuds and has begun sharing details about new features, including a “Super Mic” built into the charging case. The earbuds will also sport a more premium look, featuring partial aluminium construction.

 

Beyond hardware, the launch comes as part of Nothing’s bigger vision for AI-native devices. CEO Carl Pei has outlined plans to create a “hyper-personalised” operating system and introduce a new category of AI-driven products that will complement smartphones in the future.

Nothing Ear 3: What to expect

Super Mic:

In a Nothing Community post, the company detailed a new microphone on the charging case designed to improve call quality. Branded as ‘Super Mic,’ this feature will prioritise the user’s voice while reducing background noise for clearer conversations. The description suggests it may outperform the microphones on the earbuds themselves, potentially allowing use not just for calls but also for audio recording.

 

A previously released teaser also showed a “Talk” button next to the microphone, hinting at additional functions. This could link to Nothing’s AI-powered Essential space for transcribing and organising voice notes, or tie into the company’s ChatGPT integration, which was introduced on earlier earbuds. 

Design:

A teaser video showcased a charging case featuring an aluminium slab that secures the earbuds, layered between a transparent plastic lid and base. The earbuds keep Nothing’s signature transparent aesthetic but now feature silver metallic accents.

 

In its community post, the company said:

 

“We’re upgrading our design craftsmanship to achieve the ultra-slim design of the earbuds, minimising the clearance between components, and we also re-engineered the metal antenna to a flat finish and controlled its thickness to just 0.35 mm, reaching the current industry limit.”

Performance and audio:

The Nothing Ear 3 is expected to include a reworked dual-driver setup for improved sound, upgraded active noise cancellation (ANC), a more natural transparency mode, and better battery life.

 

While Nothing has partnered with UK audio brand KEF for tuning, the Ear 3 and its case don’t feature the “Sound by KEF” branding seen on the Nothing Headphone 1, leaving some uncertainty about the extent of KEF’s role in this product.

Nothing’s broader AI ambitions

Beyond hardware, Nothing is framing the Ear 3 launch as part of a bigger push toward AI-driven experiences. In a recent funding update that valued the company at $1.3 billion, CEO Carl Pei outlined plans for a “new class of AI-native devices” that will complement smartphones.

 

  According to Pei, while smartphones remain the only devices shipping at the scale of a billion units annually, he believes people will soon carry an additional AI-powered device just as essential as their phone. Nothing plans to launch some of these AI-native devices in 2026.

 

The company is also working on its own “hyper-personalised” operating system. Pei described the OS as one that will adapt uniquely to each user, enabling the smartphone to proactively suggest actions and perform tasks with the help of AI agents. He said, “Unlike today’s one-size-fits-all solution, a billion different operating systems will be rendered for a billion different people.”