CMF Ear (open) Concept Reimagines Nothing’s Open-Ear Buds for Runners

Shreyansh Onial’s CMF Ear (open) concept makes a persuasive case for moving Nothing’s open-ear earbuds into its budget-minded sibling’s lineup. The design keeps the secure over-ear hooks of the Nothing Ear (open), but trades its transparent shell for CMF colors, tactile controls and a charging case built around the brand’s Smart Dial.

That positioning fits the product’s role: a practical pair for workouts and everyday movement. Nothing introduced the Ear (open) in 2024 at $149, and the design later received a Red Dot Product Design award. Its blue version now sells for $99 in the US, putting it at the same price as CMF’s Clip Pro. The concept suggests how CMF could turn that price point into a clearer part of its product strategy.

Designer: Shreyansh Onial

A CMF finish, with controls built for workouts

Onial’s version comes in Coral, Light Grey and Dark Grey, matching the Clip Pro palette. Instead of Nothing’s transparent panels, the concept uses a soft matte finish on each hook and a glossier surface on the round acoustic pod. A rounded panel on the outer face holds a physical button and a small glyph; the battery tail has a stippled texture for added grip.

Those buttons address a familiar frustration with the Ear (open): its pinch controls can be awkward to use with damp or slippery fingers. CMF used physical buttons on the Clip Pro, so the approach suits its existing product design. On the back of each bud, a kidney bean-shaped perforated metal grille sits alongside two charging pins on a short collar. The grille’s shape gives the otherwise technical design a more approachable character.

A dial case for a secure-fit earbud

The case borrows the Clip Pro’s deep, pill-shaped form and knurled metal Smart Dial. On the Clip Pro, the dial adjusts volume, controls playback, answers calls and starts pairing. CMF has also used it on the Buds Pro 2, making it a recognizable feature across its audio products.

Onial adds a dot-matrix “cmf” wordmark, a status LED on the front and a USB-C port on the side. Inside, molded cradles arrange the hooks in a V, with a charging pocket for each acoustic pod.

The hook design anchors behind the ear, a useful fit for running, gym sessions or a hurried commute. The Clip Pro’s C-shaped clip sits around the outer ear and is better suited to commuting or longer stretches at a desk. A dial on the case could make quick adjustments easier during a workout, while physical buttons on the buds reduce reliance on precise touch gestures.

Where the concept fits in the open-ear market

The open-ear category includes Bose’s $299 Ultra Open, along with Sony’s LinkBuds Clip, Huawei’s FreeClip and Shokz’s hook-style earbuds. At $99, the Clip Pro offers LDAC support, a 10.8mm driver and up to 32.5 hours of total battery life. The Ear (open) has a larger 14.2mm driver, runs for eight hours per charge and reaches 30 hours with its case. Each Nothing bud weighs 0.29 ounces (8.1 grams), compared with 0.21 ounces (5.9 grams) for each Clip Pro bud.

A CMF hook-style model could bring those product ideas together: the Ear (open)’s stable fit and larger driver with the Clip Pro’s controls and lower price. Nothing’s $99 blue Ear (open) already places the original at CMF’s price level. A CMF-branded version could make that positioning feel deliberate, while leaving room for Nothing to offer a more expensive transparent successor.

CMF became an independent Nothing subsidiary headquartered in India last year. A sport-focused earbud would give the brand a distinct role in its parent company’s audio lineup. Onial’s concept points to a straightforward opportunity: pair an established hook design with CMF’s recognizable controls and colors, and give runners a product built around how they actually use earbuds.

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