My Nothing Ear (2) earbuds fell apart, and it looks like I’m not alone

Nothing might still be a young company, but it’s quickly gained many fans worldwide. With more than four years and a half dozen launches under its belt, its devices have steadily improved over the years. However, one product appears to have a clear point of failure that’s plagued many users, including myself.

I’m talking about the Nothing Ear (2). We loved the device in our initial review, and it’s served me well for over two years. But while the sound and comfort are unmatched for the price, the durability is not. Roughly six months ago, I noticed that the two plastic shells of the casing were loose in one of the earbuds.

I attempted to glue them back together, but it didn’t hold. My ultimate solution was a thin piece of tape. This worked well enough, and it worked when the other earbud failed the same way a few months later.

Judging by numerous posts on Reddit and Twitter, I’m not alone here. User after user after user has reported the same problem, with the two shells coming apart over time. According to other users, the defect was also present in the Ear (1), and attempts to glue them back together have resulted in mic failure or degraded performance.

It’s unclear whether these issues are also present in the 2024 refresh of the device, which drops the number to go by Nothing Ear. At first glance, the two-shell design is identical, but it may use a stronger glue. Even so, the controls require you to squeeze the casing, so the issues will likely persist over time. Hopefully, this is addressed in the next iteration of Nothing’s earbuds.