Nothing gives headphone makers both barrels as it teases its own pair

Tech brand Nothing has teased its upcoming pair of over-ear headphones in a pretty provocative YouTube video.

Nothing’s YouTube channel has posted a “behind the scenes” preview of the company’s upcoming headphones, which basically consists of the design team slagging off the headphones you can buy today. Including Apple’s AirPods Max.

On their list of complaints are that headphones are ugly, that their buttons are not intuitive, they cost too much and their designs are boring and conservative. Nothing isn’t pulling any punches.

And, yes, this is all part of the product hype cycle, which Nothing is no stranger to. However, we do have to admit it has done some interesting stuff in phone design, and the concept of it doing the same in full-size headphones? You have our attention.

Nothing says these headphones are coming out in the summer, but the mention of the pair’s price was chopped out of the video.

We're making Over-Ear Headphones - YouTube

Watch On

“I think they’re better than AirPods Max,” says Nothing designer Tom Ridley.

There’s also a suggestion these headphones are going to cost a whole lot less than Apple’s.

“The goal was not to compromise because they’re not $500-600, it was to make the best product we can… if you’d gone from a pair of AirPods Max to these, you will not be disappointed… there’s only upside, is my take,” says Nothing design director Adam Bates.

This video landed just a few days after Nothing and British hi-fi legend Kef announced a “strategic” partnership.

It’s intended “to explore new frontiers in sound innovation and bring refined audio experiences to a broader audience,” according to the statement released following the announcement.

Our best bet is these full-size headphones will be the first fruits of this new Nothing-Kef relationship.

Kef has released a few pairs of headphones over the years, including the Mu7 from 2022 and the 2017 Kef Porsche Design Space One. But they haven’t remotely achieved the sort of success that could let them challenge a pair like the new Sony WH-1000XM6. Could this collaboration turbo charge both brands into the headphone big leagues?

To date Nothing has already produced a handful of true wireless earphones including, most recently, a couple of pairs under its CMF sub-brand, in the CMF Buds and Buds 2 Plus.

• Nothing Phone (3) will be a true flagship and undercut Samsung, says Nothing