Nothing may be preparing to move its over-ear headphones further upmarket, with a new leak pointing to a Headphone (1) Pro that would compete much more directly with established premium models from Sony, Bose and Bowers & Wilkins.
According to information attributed to French publication Dealabs, the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro could launch on September 29 with a substantially upgraded audio system and a price to match. None of the details have been officially confirmed by Nothing, so the specifications and launch timing should be treated as unverified for now.
The biggest potential change is inside the headphones. The leak claims Nothing will use a triple-driver configuration combining separate bass and precision drivers with an xMEMS-based treble driver. Multi-driver designs are much more familiar in high-end in-ear monitors than mainstream wireless over-ear headphones, making this one of the more interesting details if it proves accurate.
Support for Hi-Res Audio and Sony’s LDAC Bluetooth codec is also reportedly included, alongside spatial audio and sound customisation features. Noise cancellation could receive a significant upgrade too, with the Headphone (1) Pro said to use 10 microphones for real-time active noise cancellation.
Battery life is claimed to reach as much as 60 hours, although the leak does not make clear under which listening conditions that figure applies. As usual with wireless headphone battery claims, ANC, codec selection and volume levels can all make a considerable difference in everyday use.
Bluetooth 6.1 is another reported addition. The exterior could retain Nothing’s preference for distinctive industrial design while introducing an aluminium shell, physical touch controls and scratch-resistant glass covering the earcups. IP52 protection against dust and water is also mentioned.
The more consequential detail, however, could be the price. Dealabs reportedly expects the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro to cost $399 in the US and €349 in Europe, with a possible UK price around £349. That would represent a clear move beyond the positioning of the original Headphone (1), which launched at £299, and puts the Pro model into territory occupied by some of the strongest premium noise-cancelling headphones on the market.
That changes the equation for Nothing. Competitive pricing has helped the company attract attention across smartphones and audio products, but a $399 pair of headphones cannot rely as heavily on being the interesting alternative. Buyers at this level expect excellent ANC, comfort, microphone performance, battery life and, most importantly, sound quality.
The original Headphone (1) also arrived with audio expertise from KEF, giving Nothing some credibility as it expanded beyond earbuds. A Pro model would seemingly push that strategy further rather than simply offering a minor revision.
If the September 29 launch date is accurate, official details should not be far away. The leaked hardware sounds ambitious, but at this price Nothing would no longer just be undercutting the premium headphone establishment — it would be asking consumers to choose it directly over them.
