Nothing’s open-ear earbuds just picked up a fresh splash of color. The Ear (open) are now available in Blue, turning one of the most distinctive audio designs on the market into something that also looks like it walked straight out of a lifestyle shoot.

Nothing introduced Ear (open) back in late 2024 as its first proper open-ear earbuds, built around what the company calls Open Sound Technology. Instead of sealing your ear canal, the buds hook over your ear and sit just outside, so you can hear music and the world around you at the same time. That means you can still catch car horns on a run, station announcements on your commute, or that “last call” at the airport, without pulling a bud out every few minutes.

The new Blue finish doesn’t change the core hardware or tuning; this is purely a color refresh of the 2024 model. Under the new paint, it’s the same Ear (open) that have been quietly building a fanbase: 14.2mm dynamic drivers, open-ear fit, Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint connection, and a design that’s as much fashion accessory as audio gear. For Nothing, Blue isn’t a random pick either. The company has been flirting with different blues on recent hardware like Phone (3a) and Phone (4a), and the Ear (open) Blue are designed to echo that same shade when light hits the tinted glass on the phones.

In person, Blue is not a loud neon shade; it’s a softer, almost “denim-adjacent” tone that leans more lifestyle than gamer RGB. The case and the ear hooks are color-matched, so when you flip the transparent lid open you get a cohesive look rather than a patchwork of accents. Community folks have already called out how well it pairs with jeans and everyday streetwear, which feels very intentional given Nothing’s obsession with industrial design and everyday objects as inspiration, from classic Sony Walkmans to minimalist living spaces.

From a features point of view, you’re not missing out if you buy Blue over White or vice versa. The earbuds still weigh 8.1g each, which helps them “disappear” on your ears during longer listening sessions or workouts. The ear-hook is a custom triangular structure that lets you tweak the fit so they stay secure on runs or HIIT sessions without digging into your skin. Nothing rates both the earbuds and the case at IP54 for dust and water resistance, which is enough for sweat and light rain but not something you’d take swimming.

Battery life remains one of Ear (open)’s quiet strengths. You get up to 8 hours on a single charge from the buds, and around 30 hours total with the case, depending on volume and settings. There’s fast charging too: around 10 minutes on the cable can net you roughly 10 hours of playback when you include the case, which is handy if you’re about to head out the door and realize everything’s dead. There’s no wireless charging, something reviewers have pointed out as a downside, but that’s easier to forgive at the new lower price point.

Sound-wise, these are very deliberately not “bass cannons.” Reviews consistently note that Ear (open) deliver surprisingly good clarity for open earbuds, with a wide, airy soundstage but less low-end thump than in-ear, sealed designs. Nothing uses a stepped driver design and a titanium-coated diaphragm to squeeze as much detail and control as possible out of that 14.2mm driver, and the result is a more natural, “world plus music” vibe rather than shut-in, club-in-your-head energy. If you like to tweak, the Nothing X app gives you an Advanced Equaliser with granular controls and the option to share EQ profiles via QR codes, which has become a bit of a cult feature among audio nerds.

Because they’re open, privacy is always a concern, but Ear (open) do better than you’d expect on sound leakage. Reviewers have reported that even at moderate to high volumes, people nearby hear surprisingly little, which is not something you can say about most open designs. Microphone quality is also a strong point: Nothing’s Clear Voice tech, dual mics, and smart noise filtering help calls cut through background noise, including wind, which is usually a weak spot for many earbuds.

On price, the Blue variant lands in a much friendlier zone than when Ear (open) first launched. In the US, the earbuds are available at around $99, down from the original $149 sticker and also lower than the earlier $129 going rate. In Europe, you’re looking at about €99 in markets like France and Germany, and around £89 in the UK.

Importantly, the Blue drop doesn’t bring any hidden “Pro” tricks with it. There’s no extra ANC, no special tuning, no exclusive features for this colorway. Community members have already pointed out that the update is cosmetic only, and Nothing itself frames Blue as a sporty, ecosystem-friendly shade rather than a hardware refresh. So if you’ve been eyeing Ear (open) for the fit and feature set, this is just a nicer-looking way to buy the same product.

In the broader audio landscape, Ear (open) sits in a very specific niche, and the Blue finish just makes that niche more visible. These aren’t the buds you buy to drown out the world on a long-haul flight; they’re the buds you throw on when you want to stay present, whether that’s running through the city, working at a café, or just moving around your house without missing the doorbell. Now, instead of quietly doing that in white, they do it in a color that actually looks like it belongs next to Nothing’s latest phones and the rest of your everyday carry.