Nothing
Nothing’s October: New Earbuds, Major OS Update, and Community Edition Phone Announcement
October 2024 – This month, Nothing has launched the highly anticipated Ear (open), its first open wearable stereo (OWS) earbuds, alongside announcing Nothing OS 3.0, setting new standards in user experience. Additionally, the company is gearing up for the launch of the Phone (2a) Community Edition, scheduled for October 30th.
The newly released Ear (open) earbuds are designed to deliver a superior audio experience while ensuring users remain aware of their surroundings. Featuring Nothing’s innovative Open Sound Technology, the earbuds allow users to stay connected to the environment, whether it’s the subtle chirping of birds or the bustling noise of city life, without compromising on sound quality.
Nothing OS 3.0 brings new improvements and features, in software developments, including refined typography, advanced dot matrix animations, and a more customizable lock screen. The OS update also boasts a revamped Quick Settings, an AI-powered Smart Drawer for better app management, and a new Nothing Gallery app to improve photo processing speeds with AI-driven features.
Looking forward, Nothing has announced the Community Edition of Phone (2a) will be unveiled on October 30th. This unique initiative is part of Nothing’s co-creation project, which involves the community in the design and development process of the smartphone. The project highlights collaboration on various aspects such as hardware, wallpaper design, and marketing strategies.
In community news, notable contributions include the launch of Nothing Ear (web) by community member @RapidZapper, a web-based application that allows comprehensive control of Nothing devices through chromium-based browsers. Another community member, @chris._.sin, introduced the Better Glyph Composer, a web-based tool that enables users to create custom Glyph patterns and animations, further personalizing user experience with Nothing devices.
Nothing is also introducing the ‘Nothing Library’ this month, sharing recommendations from team members to inspire the community. Highlights include “The Leviathan” recommended by the Soho Store Manager, and “Black Box,” a podcast about AI from the Guardian, recommended by the CMF Design Lead.
With these exciting developments, Nothing continues to innovate and engage its community, promising an enhanced and more interactive tech experience.
The much-awaited Nothing Phone (3) is finally here, and we got our hands on the device through the Community Review Program. The community box unboxing experience felt premium right from the start, with a clean white box featuring the Phone (3) back design and Nothing branding. Inside the package, we also received a 100W GaN fast charger by CMF.
The variant we received comes in white with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. The manufacturing date is June 2025, and the phone feels solid and heavy, giving a truly premium impression. The design of the box is similar to previous Nothing phones, keeping a consistent identity.
As we opened the phone, the first look felt different and unique. It features a triple rear camera setup, including a periscope lens, and the design around the camera area is eye-catching. The Glyph lights have been replaced by a new Glyph Matrix system, which now supports multiple interactive tools and mini-games like stopwatch, battery indicator, and even a rock-paper-scissors game. The company them as a Glyph Toys.
The in-hand feel is excellent, with a metal frame body, and the phone includes five physical buttons, including a new Glyph button placed on the back under the glass. It comes with a transparent USB-C cable, a phone case, and a SIM ejector tool, though there’s no charger in the main box.
On the front, the device has a 6.7-inch LTPS AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The display is bright and vibrant, making it great for watching videos or using outdoors. It offers 800 nits of normal brightness, 1600 nits with High Brightness Mode (HBM), and reaches up to 4500 nits peak brightness for HDR content. It also supports HDR10+, giving users a rich and smooth viewing experience. For the first time, a Nothing phone has IP68 water and dust resistance.
Powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor, the phone runs on Nothing OS 3.5 based on Android 15, and the animations and performance felt smooth during the setup. Nothing has promised 5 years of major Android updates and 7 years of security updates, making it future-ready.
The camera system includes:
- 50MP main sensor
- 50MP periscope lens with 3x zoom
- 50MP ultra-wide sensor
- 50MP selfie camera
Here are some camera samples from the Nothing Phone (3):
It supports dual SIM, eSIM, USB Type-C 2.0 port and UFS 4.0 storage. The phone has a 5500mAh battery with 65W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 5W reverse wireless charging support.
The official price of the Nothing Phone (3) is Rs. 80,000, but with bank offers and exchange bonuses, buyers can get it for as low as Rs. 53,000–Rs. 54,000. This is just for pre-orders.
Open sales starts on July 12 at 12 PM, likely on Flipkart.
With a fresh design, smart software features, and solid hardware, the Nothing Phone (3) looks like a true flagship experience with a different story. More videos and testing coming soon.
CMF by Nothing, the sub-brand of tech company Nothing, is set for a major change. The company has confirmed that it will move its global marketing operations to India.
This announcement was made by Nothing’s co-founder and India President Akis Evangelidis. He shared that the company wants to build CMF into a global brand, starting from India.
As part of this plan, the Gurgaon office will now become the base for several important global roles. Job openings have already gone live for key positions like product marketing, social media, PR, and content creation, all based in Gurgaon.
Evangelidis said this decision is part of a long-term vision. He believes the move will help the company work faster and stay close to the market that matters most.
He added that CMF has a big opportunity to grow and do something different. Shifting the marketing team to India will help the brand move quickly, respond to local needs, and build a stronger foundation.
CMF is known for offering value-for-money products with a focus on design. Its range includes earbuds, accessories, and smartphones. The new move is expected to help the brand understand local users better and launch products and campaigns more efficiently.
Nothing’s founder Carl Pei also commented on the decision. He said that India is CMF’s fastest-growing and most important market. He added that India is playing a big role in the future of tech and the company is excited to build for the world from India.
Nothing already manufactures a large number of its products in India. With this shift in global roles, India is becoming more than just a manufacturing base. It is now also a hub for leadership and innovation.
This move follows a larger trend in the tech industry. With support from government programs like Make in India and the PLI scheme, more tech companies are now choosing India as their global operations base.
Nothing
CMF Buds 2a First Impressions: Stylish Design, Good Sound, and Strong Battery Life Under ₹2,200
CMF by Nothing has launched its new budget-friendly CMF Buds 2a in India, and we got our hands on them for an early impression. These are not full reviews, but here’s what we experienced after using them for a few days.
Clean Design with a Unique Touch
The CMF Buds 2a comes in a square case with rounded edges. It has a matte white finish, which feels premium and smooth to hold. The case is pocket-friendly, although some people may find it slightly large.
One interesting part of the design is a rotating circular dial on the case. It doesn’t serve any function but can be used to attach a lanyard.
Opening and closing the case is smooth and clicky, and the earbuds are easy to take out and place back inside. The stem-style buds are compact and offer a comfortable fit. The magnets are strong, and the buds won’t fall out even if the case is open.
Easy Connectivity and Dual Pairing
Connecting the CMF Buds 2a is very simple. It supports Google Fast Pair for quick connection. Just open the case and press the button outside, and it appears on your phone screen instantly.
For the best experience, it’s recommended to use the Nothing X app, where you can customize controls and settings. These buds also support dual device connection, allowing you to switch between two devices easily.
Sound Quality and Bass Performance
The buds come with a 12.4mm driver and are tuned by Dirac for a balanced audio experience. The sound quality is good for the price, with clear lows, mids, and highs.
The Ultra Bass Technology works well. Bass at level 2 or level 3 is punchy and enjoyable, especially if you love listening to music.
Calling and Mic Quality
Mic quality is decent during normal use. Your voice will sound clear on calls. However, in noisy environments like while riding a bike, the mic struggles — which is common in most TWS earbuds in this range.
Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency
The CMF Buds 2a support up to 42dB Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). It reduces background noise effectively, though not as powerful as more expensive earbuds like Nothing Ear (a). There’s also a Transparency Mode, which works nicely by boosting surrounding sounds when needed.
One thing to note: there’s no support for LHDC or LDAC codecs, so you won’t get high-res audio playback.
Battery Life That Impresses
The case packs a 460mAh battery, and each bud has 43mAh. With ANC and Transparency enabled, the buds last around 4–5 hours on a single use. The case can recharge them multiple times, offering great battery backup overall.
Even after several sessions of music, watching series, and playing BGMI with low-lag mode, the user only had to charge them once after unboxing.
Charging & Indicators
There’s a USB Type-C port on the right side of the case for charging. A red LED on the case indicates low battery, and once fully charged, it turns white.
Pricing and Availability
The CMF Buds 2a is available on Flipkart for Rs. 2,199. If available for under Rs. 2,000 during offers or sales, these earbuds could be one of the best budget options for everyday use.
Final Words
The CMF Buds 2a offer a premium design, good audio quality, decent ANC, and strong battery life — all under Rs. 2,200. If you’re looking for budget TWS earbuds with modern features, these are worth checking out.
A full review will follow soon with detailed testing!