Nothing sounds quite like these new AirPods rivals taking aim at Apple

Wireless earbuds were something rather sci-fi even just ten years ago but now they are seen in the ears of millions every day. Ever since Apple popularised the cord-free listening experience with AirPods in 2016, rival tech companies have followed suit, creating wireless buds of all shapes and sizes and at various prices.

Today, British-based tech company Nothing, famed for its eye-catching Android phones with flashing lights, has announced the Nothing Ear Open - which it stylises as 'Ear (open) - a futuristic looking hook-style earbud that taps into the latest earbud trend.

In recent months there has been a boom in so-called 'open' earbuds that don't seal your ear with a silicon tip and instead beam audio into your ears while keeping your ear canal partially free to also hear the world around you. This can be great for outdoor exercise to stay aware of your surroundings but is also just a less claustrophobic and more comfortable choice for many people.

Apple AirPods are technically open as they are hard plastic and sit in the ear, but Nothing has opted to create a hook design that goes over the ear, with the earphone itself nestling in the opening of your ear from a top-down angle.

"Ear (open) is designed for all-day comfort," Nothing said. "Its three-point balance system and silicone ear hooks provide a secure, weightless fit that adapts to any ear shape. This design, combined with ultra-light components, ensures stability during everyday use or even during physical activities like running or cycling."

Express.co.uk has been testing the Ear Open for a few days and we've been impressed by the audio - these things can get pretty loud considering they're not actually in our ears and audio is nicely detailed. But compared to other open headphones such as the bone- and air-conducting Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, they jiggle around a fair bit when running.

Unlike Shokz, Nothing seems to be sticking to the fashion-first audience it has found for its phones and other wireless earbuds. Competing open earbuds often market directly at the sports market, while products like the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds mix up fashion and high-end sound quality.

The case for Ear Open is notable as it's long and flat (19mm) rather than short and stubby, like most rechargeable earbud cases are. We've come to appreciate this, as it sits flat in a jeans or jacket pocket despite being long. It's very annoying to have a huge lump of an earbud case in a tight trouser pocket.

Each earbud weighs only 8.1 grams, which means you can half-forget you're wearing them (in a good way) and you don't have to worry about fancy transparency modes or noise cancellation because the buds don't have those modes.

Nothing claims the buds will last for eight hours on a single charge, which is considerably longer than the five hours Apple says the new AirPods 4 will last, while a fully charged case should keep the Ear Open topped up for 30 hours overall. They're also IP54 water and sweat resistant.

You'll also get bass optimisation, supposed 'clear voice technology' for voice calls and dual connection for connecting to two devices at once. Like Nothing's existing earbuds, you can also link the Ear Open to ChatGPT and speak to the chatbot all through voice actions.

The Nothing Ear Open is on sale from today for £129, the exact same price as the AirPods 4.