Nothing officially unveiled the Ear (3a) on 7 July 2026 alongside the Phone (4b), bringing a bigger driver, stronger noise cancelling, and a genuinely new on-device recording feature to its budget earbuds line — all at the same $99 price as its predecessor. The catch for buyers here: Nothing has confirmed launch markets for the UK, Europe, Switzerland and the US, with no official word yet on Kenya or the wider East African market.
What's new in the Nothing Ear (3a)
The Ear (3a) steps up from the Ear (a) in almost every spec that matters. It uses a 12mm dynamic driver (up from 11mm) with LDAC and Hi-Res Wireless support, plus Nothing's first Static Spatial Audio on a budget model. Active noise cancellation now reaches up to 45dB with wider coverage in the everyday-noise range, and there's a dedicated Transparency Mode for when you need to hear your surroundings — useful on a boda boda or in a matatu.
Battery life: up to 6 hours per charge with ANC on (25 hours with the case), or up to 10 hours with ANC off (42 hours with the case). Charging is USB-C only — no wireless charging pad support. Bluetooth 6.0 adds multipoint connection to two devices at once, and the buds carry an IP54 rating on both earbuds and case.
The standout feature is Audio Snapshot: pinch both buds together to instantly save up to a minute of whatever you're listening to, including a few seconds before you pinched. You can also record phone calls directly from the earbuds for up to two hours, with everything syncing to the Nothing X app for playback, editing, and even an automatic transcript.
How it stacks up against the Ear (a) and the competition
Nothing kept the Ear (3a) at the same $99 / £99 / €99 launch price as the Ear (a), but nearly every spec improved: a bigger driver, wider ANC coverage, roughly half an hour more battery per bud, a full 8-band advanced EQ (versus a basic EQ on the Ear (a)), and the new recording tools. At this price point, it's worth cross-shopping against the Google Pixel Buds 2a, Samsung Galaxy Buds FE, CMF Buds 2 Plus, and OnePlus Buds — all sit in a similar bracket internationally.
The Kenya angle: not confirmed yet, but ANC options exist today
At current exchange rates, $99 works out to roughly KES 12,800 before any import markup — and since Nothing hasn't named Kenya (or even Nigeria) as a launch market, anyone buying one here right now would be going through a grey-market importer, which usually means inflated pricing, uncertain warranty support, and no guaranteed after-sales service.
If you want real ANC and true wireless convenience today, without waiting on an unconfirmed launch, trewrld has two solid options in stock in Nairobi right now, both payable via M-Pesa with same-day delivery in Nairobi and 1–4 day delivery countrywide.
FAQ
Is the Nothing Ear (3a) available in Kenya?
Not officially as of this writing. Nothing has only confirmed the UK, Europe, Switzerland and the US as launch markets. Buying one in Kenya today would mean going through a grey-market importer, typically at a markup and without a local warranty.
How long does the battery actually last with ANC on?
Up to 6 hours per charge on the buds alone, and up to 25 hours total with the charging case. Turning ANC off stretches that to 10 hours on the buds and 42 hours with the case.
What ANC earbuds can I buy in Kenya right now instead?
The JBL Tune 130NC offers active noise cancelling at KES 10,000 and is in stock at trewrld with M-Pesa payment and Nairobi delivery. For a lower budget without ANC, the Soundcore by Anker Life P2i is available from KES 5,500.
trewrld | Queensway House, Kaunda Street, 2nd Floor Room 13, Nairobi | 0722 700 018 | @trewrldke
M-Pesa, Visa/Mastercard & Bank Transfer accepted | Same-day delivery in Nairobi, 1 to 4 days countrywide, and delivery across East Africa (Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan)
