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Nothing has probably made its biggest impression in the tech world with its distinctive mid-range Android phones (like the 3a Pro pictured above). But the UK-based brand’s first product was actually wireless earbuds, and now it’s preparing to unveil its first over-ear headphones on July 1. As is often the way, though, we don’t have to wait until then to get our first look at the upcoming cans, as pictures have leaked online ahead of the London launch event.

As you’d expect from a Nothing product, the Headphone 1 – if these leaked images are indeed legitimate – looks like nothing else on the market. A number of photos uploaded to Instagram by Nothing Fan Blog show off a typical transparent design, which looks a bit like someone has glued a cassette tape to a slab of smooth metal. It looks like the headphones will be available in black/gray and silver/white colorways.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚐 (@nothing_fan_blog)

It’s hard to determine what materials Nothing has opted for from the leaked photos, but it looks like there are at least three buttons: two on the side of the left earcup and one on the top. In one photo you can also see a wire attached to the bottom of the headphones, so presumably they’ll have a 3.5mm connector.

Again, we don’t know for certain if this is the final design of the Headphone 1, but aesthetically speaking they could definitely stand out in what is an enormously crowded market.

Nothing CEO Carl Pei confirmed that the Headphone 1 will arrive on July 1 alongside the brand’s new flagship phone, the Phone 3, during a live appearance at SXSW in London earlier this month. Engadget’s Igor Bonifac was impressed by Nothing’s Phone 3a and 3a Pro when he reviewed both phones earlier this year, with the caveat that they carry a limited US warranty.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/nothings-first-over-ear-headphones-leak-ahead-of-july-unveiling-150631940.html?src=rss

ASAF offers Dolby Atmos-style spatial audio, with more effectsAvailable for all Apple platforms bar watchOSFocused primarily on Vision ProApple has introduced a new format for head-tracking spatial audio: ASAF. Apple Spatial Audio Format promises "truly immersive audio experiences" and was unveiled quietly at last week's WWDC 2025 event – not in the keynote, but in a session for app developers.As FlatpanelsHD explains, there are two components here: ASAF, which is used in audio and video production to position audio elements in a three-dimensional space, and APAC (Apple Positional Audio Codec), which is the codec that's used to deliver it.If you're thinking "not another audio format" you're not alone: Samsung and Google are promoting Eclipsa Audio as a Dolby Atmos rival, too.However, Apple's both is and isn't a Dolby Atmos rival – FlatpanelsHD reports that Dolby Atmos can be delivered within Apple's new format, which is then able to add some additional spatial audio tricks on top of it. So this appears to be less about replacing Atmos than expanding… though providing an alternative could be a big part of Apple's plan.(Image credit: Apple)What does ASAF mean for the future of audio?That's a very good question, because at the moment ASAF is for Apple devices: tvOS, iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS. The iPhone 16 able to be used to capture ASAF audio, and that ease of capture is probably something to pay attention to.Initially, according to Apple's presentation, it looks like the focus – pun very much intended – is on the visionOS headset. Apple has mandated the use of APAC with all Immersive Video titles, although the codec can be used as a container for Dolby Atmos data instead of ASAF if the creator is already using that format.The idea with ASAF's extra 3D skills are that they can alter the spatial sound not just based on your own head tracking and positioning, but also based on the virtual environment you're in, changing elements such as the volume and reverb to make the sound seem like it matches the world you're in. So you can see why it goes beyond Dolby Atmos, which just assume you're sitting still in the center of a virtual theater.However, a further appeal here may not be technical; it may be financial. Dolby Atmos requires royalty payments from producers, and Samsung told us that one of the goals of Eclipsa Audio was in part to ensure that smaller-scale content creators could create and deliver spatial audio videos easily as well.Apple may be able to offer a similar approach: where previously it kept its formats proprietary, it's become more open in recent years and its Apple Lossless Audio Codec dropped its royalty scheme back in 2011. ASAF can apparently be created using industry-standard software and plugins.The APAC codec reportedly works at bitrates as low as 64kbps and maxes out at 768kbps, which may seem low, is the same maximum bitrate that Apple, Netflix and others use to stream Dolby Atmos at the moment, so it'll match current quality standards.You might also likeSamsung and Google have unveiled their Dolby Atmos rivalTechRadarSamsung told me why Dolby Atmos isn't the sole future of spatial audioGoogle TV devices will get 4 great free upgrades this year ...TechRadar

Amazon Prime Days begins again on July 8, but early deals are already starting to trickle out. For instance, the 8BitDo Micro gamepad is on sale for just $17. This is a record-low price and represents a discount of 33 percent. However, the deal only applies to the green colorway.

The Micro is a Bluetooth controller designed for the Nintendo Switch and Android devices, but it should also integrate with gadgets like the Steam Deck and iPhones. The company has released a firmware update for Switch 2 compatibility, so that should work too. We've tested other 8BitDo controllers with Nintendo's new console and came away impressed.

This is an extremely tiny gamepad that still manages to pack in 16 buttons. It's a near-perfect way to play retro-tinged 2D platformers. Did we mention it's small? This thing will easily fit in a pocket or just about anywhere else. The company wasn't kidding around when they named it Micro.

There's one caveat. The diminutive size of the 8Bitdo Micro doesn't allow for actual joysticks and there's no haptic engine for rumble or anything like that. This isn't the best controller for brand-new AAA games. If you absolutely must have a pair of joysticks, for FPS titles and the like, the 8BitDo Lite SE is also on sale for $22.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/early-prime-day-deals-include-the-8bitdo-micro-gamepad-for-only-17-151924406.html?src=rss