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Nothing thinks wired headphones are nothing more than a joke
Published onApril 3, 2025
April Fool’s is here, which means the usual slew of joke products announced. One caught our eye here at SoundGuys, as Nothing decided to take aim at audiophiles with their joke product of the day, a “new” set of earbuds. What’s so funny about them? The fact that they have a wire and a 3.5mm jack, apparently.
In my eyes, the Nothing Ear (3.5mm) is an out-of-touch attempt to make fun of a product category that has seen a renaissance in the past couple of years. Many people, especially the tech enthusiasts that Nothing usually appeals to, are turning to wired earbuds for their better sound quality and durability compared to wireless earbuds. On our list of best budget IEMs, we outlined a slew of wired earbuds that sound great, never need to be recharged, and cost less than the wireless earbuds offered by Nothing.
Don’t get me wrong—wireless earbuds have their place for those who value convenience and features, but that doesn’t mean we should write off wired earbuds entirely. As a musician, I frequently turn to wired headphones to avoid the latency issues caused by Bluetooth. There’s also something to be said about the simplicity of plugging in wired headphones without having to deal with a pairing process, companion app, or any other setup difficulties.
Since true wireless earbuds aren’t built to last, brands have a financial incentive to turn people away from wired alternatives (see planned obsolescence). This April 1st, don’t let Nothing fool you!