The first wireless earbuds to be released by OnePlus co-founder Car Pei's Nothing company, the Nothing Ear,

have remained largely a mystery until now. However, ahead of its official announcement on July 27, Nothing has been more forthcoming with details, including key features and pricing.

First, there's the price: the Nothing Ear (1) is priced at $99, barely higher than many top-of-the-line wireless earbuds, a refreshing change from the way most big-name brands have been charging in 2021. Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro and Sony's WF-1000XM4 are prime examples, and given that Nothing's pre-Ear (1) advertising had struck a more aspirational tone, claiming to combine "clarity, iconic form, and sleek functionality," this is quite surprise.

It could still be done, but it would be much more affordable than I and probably most other onlookers had hoped. Additionally, Nothing announced that the Ear (1) will feature "state-of-the-art" active noise cancellation.

ANC is feasible but extremely rare under $100, so a new shaker in this low-end market could be a very good thing for consumers. And ANC may not be the only premium feature: Pei told TechCrunch that "functionally [Ear (1)] is similar to AirPods Pro."

Don't expect Apple-specific extras like full spatial audio, but the fact that nothing is targeting the $249 AirPods Pro, but a set of buds for less than half that price, is a deeply intriguing sign. Maybe some of the AirPods Pro's other tricks, like fast switching between devices or IPX4 waterproofing, will help make the Ear (1) more affordable.

Nothing has also confirmed that Ear (1) will feature a transparent design and ditch the usual metal and plastic of other earphones. In other words, the concept design presented earlier this year could be very close to the final product. And even if the dimensions are completely different, it is definitely time for wireless earphone designs to diverge a bit.

Just recently, the WF-1000XM4 and Beats Studio Buds showed why manufacturers should not be bound by internal design conventions. However, these are still fairly orthodox earphones in a more general sense. It is fascinating to see earphones that look and feel completely different.

My interest in Nothing Ear (1) should not be confused with trust in some sort of unproven excellence-they may sound terrible, the see-through design may be uncomfortable, the battery life may be too short. As with any technology, it is best to wait.

But at such a low price and with the potential killer feature of ANC (if it works), it seems like at least Nothing is trying to make Ear (1) a serious competitor. And even in the crowded wireless earphone market, that deserves some attention.