Nothing’s next set of earbuds might include a Playdate-inspired glow-up

Consumer tech startup Nothing, which is expected to launch its newest earbuds later this month, will also debut a new color variant that evokes a certain yellow handheld, according to leaked renders shared by Android Headlines. Nothing previously announced that it would be dropping numbers in its naming strategy, so instead of the Ear 3, the successors to the Ear 2 will be simply called the Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear (a).

According to the images, both earbuds will include the same clear, square case as earlier models. The Ear and the more compact Ear (a) will be available in black and white, with the latter also available in a Playdate yellow variant that applies to the case and the earbuds themselves. Like previous Nothing buds, both models will be water-resistant as well. The Ear (a) will feature an IP54 rating for the earbuds and an IP55 rating for the case. The higher-end Ear earbuds, meanwhile, will carry an IP54 rating, while the case gets IPX2 splash resistance.

Battery life has also reportedly been boosted slightly for the newest Nothing generation. The Nothing Ear’s battery will last 7.5 hours with active noise cancellation turned off, and 33 hours with the case (compared to 6.3 hours and 36 hours for the last-gen Ear 2). The Ear (a) will offer eight hours of playback with ANC off and 38 hours with the included case. Both earbuds will include a fast-charging feature that will give you 10 hours of usage from a 10-minute charge.

Here’s a peek at the alleged new yellow color variant offered with the Ear (a), courtesy of Android Headlines:

The company hinted at some sort of Playdate tie-in in a post on X from April 3rd:

Nothing will introduce both models on April 18th. The Ear are expected to be priced at €150, while the Ear (a) will reportedly retail for €100.