Nothing Headphone (a) may launch with a budget-friendly price

Nothing is reportedly about to break the premium-only mold it set with the Headphone 1. After turning heads with its transparent-design over-ears and solid feature set last year, the brand is now said to be readying a more affordable sibling, and the pricing could surprise you.

A new report from Dealabs says the launch is set for March 12, 2026, with pre-orders starting around March 5 (via Notebookcheck). The big news is the expected price: about €159 in Europe and £149 in the UK, which is about half of what the original Headphone 1 cost at launch. This price drop puts Nothing in direct competition with mid-range headphones from brands like JBL and Sony, which is unexpected for a company known for its premium look and pricing.

This new model is not just the Headphone 1 with a new paint job. Some early rumors suggested the Headphone (a) might be a rebranded version of the current model, possibly using more plastic to lower costs. However, the big difference in price makes that idea seem unlikely. Instead, most signs suggest this will be a new model with simpler materials and fewer features.

The Headphone 1 offers up to 80 hours of battery life, KEF-tuned sound, top-level noise cancellation, and LDAC support. If the Headphone (a) can provide even a simpler version of these features at a lower price, it could attract a lot of interest.

Offering more color choices could also help Nothing reach more people. The report says there may be four finishes: black, white, pink, and yellow. This is a more vibrant selection than the two colors the Headphone 1 originally had.

Nothing has not confirmed any of these details, so the leaked information may not be final. Still, if the March 12 date and the expected price are correct, the Headphone (a) could convince many people who liked the original design but wanted a more reasonable price.