Nothing teases imminent Ear (3) earbuds launch – in possibly the weirdest way yet

(Image credit: Michael Winkel)

You've got to hand it to Carl Pei's marketing team at Nothing. The follow-up to the popular 2021 Nothing Ear (1), the subsequent October 2022-launch Nothing Ear (Stick) and the March 2023 Nothing Ear (2) is coming. And we know this because the company took to X (formerly Twitter) to post a video of a frog jumping over a beetle.

That's right, no actual hardware is shown in this teaser, but fans will remember that Nothing Ear (1)'s mascot was a pair of Ladybugs very much in cahoots. Then, Ear (2)'s was a beetle. And it seems the critters are getting a little bigger with each earbuds release, because it's highly likely that Nothing Ear (3)'s mascot is the frog you'll see, effectively leaping over the previous iteration (the beetle) in the video below. Art!

🐸🪲 pic.twitter.com/znswtNwgFVMarch 27, 2024

What else can I tell you? The frog has a very healthy heartbeat and big friendly eyes, while the beetle looks just a little mechanical and labored in direct comparison? I mean, clutching at straws a little, aren't we? Look, the message is clear: the Ear (3) will be better – it'll even (ahem) leapfrog over the competition.

Make no mistake though, the animals starring in Nothing's teasers may be small and delicate (like the components in its earbuds), but Nothing's Marketing department is a beast of an engine. We'll almost certainly get an announcement that an announcement is coming soon… soon. This is just how the Nothing hype machine works.

Honestly, I don't mind it. This transparent, design-led, something-but-almost-nothing story is where Nothing shines as a brand, for me. I'll take this over its cheaper CMF by Nothing offshoot, which includes some very orange 'Pro' neckband earbuds that seem to embody everything Nothing said it wasn't.

In terms of cold hard specs on the Ear (3), we'll have to wait for further announcements. But rest assured, we'll be ready for Nothing. I truly hope this iteration makes it into our best noise-cancelling earbuds guide, an achievement Nothing so far hasn't managed, despite my praise for Nothing Ear (2)'s personalized hearing tests.

Becky became Audio Editor at TechRadar in 2024, but joined the team in 2022 as Senior Staff Writer, focusing on all things hi-fi. Before this, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing and reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be found throwing shapes in a dance studio, these days with varying degrees of success.