Nothing unveiled plans to release its Ear 1 buds in June, the first in a number of wireless devices set to be released by the start-up led by former OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei.

The vendor officially launched three months after Pei’s departure from OnePlus: in a statement announcing its wearable it noted the earphone sector was a key target due to high growth.

Pei said the earbud segment provided “a fertile backdrop as we strengthen our capabilities and prepare to enter new product categories”, adding the company believes the sector “was begging for differentiation”.

The company has so far kept its aims broad: Pei added it aimed to “remove barriers between people and technology to create a seamless digital future that looks, lives, and feels like nothing”.

By entering the earbuds category, Nothing will compete with major smartphone manufacturers Apple, Samsung, Sony and Huawei alongside traditional audio-focused brands Bose and Sennheiser.