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专访 Nothing Smart Products 负责人高岩：从一开始，我们就被拿来和苹果做对比
爱 爱范儿 @刘学文
One Sentence Summary
An exclusive interview with Gao Yan, Head of Smart Products at Nothing, revealing how the brand achieves differentiation in the crowded audio and wearables market through the prioritization of 'design intent' and transparent aesthetics.
Summary
This article is an in-depth interview with Gao Yan, Head of Smart Products at Nothing. It explores how Nothing competes with giants like Apple and Sony in the cutthroat audio and IoT markets through its highly recognizable 'transparent aesthetics' and design consistency. Gao points out that Nothing's core competitiveness lies in 'ID Intent' (Industrial Design Intent), meaning design does not compromise for engineering simplicity or cost. Through an internal 'Design Bible,' the company ensures equal status for all product lines, rather than treating headphones as mere phone accessories. Furthermore, the interview reveals Nothing's cautious planning regarding smartwatches and AI glasses, emphasizing that products should return to the essence of being 'fun and useful' rather than blindly chasing 'smart' labels or AI concepts.
Main Points
* 1. Nothing adheres to a highly recognizable 'logo-less' design, achieving high consistency between phones and IoT products.Through the unified application of materials, lines, and transparent craftsmanship, Nothing has successfully made its products instantly recognizable without looking at the logo, breaking the industry status quo where IoT products are linked only by Bluetooth connection rather than design. * 2. 'ID Intent' (Industrial Design Intent) is the highest principle in Nothing's organizational structure.Unlike large enterprises where design is subordinate to engineering and gross margins, Nothing treats design as the core of its brand. Designers have significant decision-making power, even going so far as to set up dedicated zones in factories to meet the dust-free requirements of transparent designs. * 3. The smart audio market is a 'game for the brave,' with competitive intensity even higher than the mobile phone industry.The headphone industry is crowded with numerous brands across a wide spectrum. Nothing must achieve world-class levels in basic experiences (noise cancellation, sound quality) while attracting Gen-Z through personalization and differentiation. * 4. Nothing maintains a cautious attitude toward AI and new form-factor devices, emphasizing that 'fun and useful' takes priority over 'smart.'When researching products like AI glasses, Nothing refuses to be present just for the sake of being present. It believes that a product must first solve real user needs and bring surprises, rather than just serving as a carrier for AI.
Metadata
AI Score
78
Website ifanr.com
Published At Today
Length 3593 words (about 15 min)
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Nothing 手机拥有一种本应该在行业里普遍存在，但实际上很稀缺的能力：把 logo 遮住仍然被一眼认出来。
Nothing 的耳机也是类似。
当它们放在一起的时候，组合技诞生了：我们可以再次一眼看出来，这两款产品有着同样的设计语言，出自同一个品牌。
即便几乎所有的手机品牌都在生产耳机等智能 IoT 产品，但多数时候，它们的连接更多依靠的是蓝牙，而非设计上的一脉相承。
从一开始，Nothing 的音频就被拿来跟苹果和索尼对比
消费电子市场的残酷在于，它不会对任何一款产品展现宽容。这是摆在 Nothing Smart Products 负责人高岩（Rock Gao）面前的绝对铁律：Nothing 推出头戴式耳机 Headphone（1）之后，没有人会因为它是出自于一家创业公司之手的第一款头戴式耳机而有一些延迟期待，而是转而把它与苹果，索尼和 Bose 的旗舰耳机进行对比。
耳机的竞争态势是另外一种，与手机行业并不一样，但烈度并不见得低。手机行业玩家少，门槛高，同时竞争烈度极高。那耳机行业呢？耳机行业如坠阿修罗道，永远在进行一场无限战争。
高岩在音频行业有 20 年的经验，行业浮沉已然见惯，但他依旧感叹：
> 智能产品的竞争格局其实烈度同样很高 ，甚至更高 ，只是表现方式不一样。 > > > 手机品牌屈指可数 ，耳机品牌有几百个细分品牌。而且跨度很大，有手机阵营，互联网阵营， 电商阵营，传统音频阵营 ，各种跨界品牌 ，而且有很多区域品牌。 > > > 对于创业公司来说，耳机不是好的切入点，这是个生存概率极低的「勇敢者游戏」。
如果说手机行业是集团军作战，需要至少几千人的研发团队才能做到业内顶级水平，那么智能 IoT 产品，比如耳机产品就像是特种部队作战，几十人搞研发，也可能做到世界一流水平。
这只是一种「可能」。
以头戴式耳机为例，现今前列的手机品牌（苹果，三星，华为，小米，OPPO，vivo）都尝试过做头戴式耳机，但如今仍坚持做的品牌只有苹果。
不缺乏资源的大厂选择退出，就很能说明问题。但 Nothing 的选择是继续跟进，在 Headphone（1）之外，推出了更年轻更活跃的 Headphone（a）。
Nothing 并不是一家所谓「快公司」，当他们决定进入头戴式耳机行业的时候，这个东西已经出现了一个多世纪（初期用于军事和通信行业），降临在消费者头上也超过半个多世纪。Nothing 的选择，意味着他们看到机会。
高岩说：
> 耳机相比于手机，是个更注重个性化体验的产品 ， 比如佩戴体验，音质体验，通话体验，将来的各种智能化传感器，多类定制化个人化的交互界面等等。会有很大一部分个性强 ，敢于表达自我的 Gen-Z 人群（泛指在 1997 年—2012 年出生的年轻人群），不满足于千篇一律的「街机」。
这是创业公司的机会，大公司会因为追求规模而寻找受众的最大公约数，最终推出一款不够个性但足够普适的产品。也如前面所说，「可能」与「机会」，不是代表「必然」。高岩说：
> 做低端穿戴类产品门槛不高，但要穿戴类硬件做精致，做高端，本身是一个很难的事情，佩戴体验，设计感，音频体验，续航等等要素在工程技术、成本、体验上都存在各种互相冲突，要在这么多因素中找到最优解 ，是一件非常挑战产品团队能力和勇气的事情。 > > > 而且典型的竞争对手如苹果，BOSE，索尼这些，历经多年进化和迭代 ，其产品都已经代表了世界一流的硬件水平。 Nothing 的产品不仅需要在基础体验上做到同等水平，还得在部分产品体验做到有意义有个性的差异化，这种挑战是世界级的。 > > > 虽然说小玩家也有大机会，但实际在中高端的智能产品领域，能够做出显著差异化，还能实现生存和规模增长的品牌 ，是极少的。
▲ Nothing Phone（3）和 Headphone（1）
为什么只有 Nothing，可以做到手机和耳机的设计一致性？
虽然说头戴式耳机相比于手机更具备装饰属性，但同时，耳机的设计又是高度地形式追随功能，尤其是各大品牌的旗舰降噪耳机，两边看上去几乎都很像「馒头」。
Headphone（1）和造型类似的 Headphone（a）选择了另一套视觉体系：通过材质，线条，工艺和颜色的搭配处理，使耳机正面看上去具有 Nothing 式的透明美学，侧面又显得轻薄。
▲Headphone（1）
Nothing 设计总监 Adam Bates 曾经在内部说过，Headphone（1）是他们设计过最复杂的产品，比手机都复杂。这是因为行业竞争与自我要求的双重结果，高岩说：
> TWS 耳机被发明之后，降噪和音质就成了品类最突出的卖点，大家于是纷纷在这里堆料，卷规格卷参数，卷着卷着就开始远离设计，远离用户体验了。
反之，想要在设计束缚更大，用户佩戴和交互体验更优的前提下保证规格参数，那么就需要在人机工程学上投入更多，在更集约的体积开发更高效的元器件和算法，以及更精致的工艺。
高岩举了一个例子，「透明」是 Nothing 的最具辨识度的设计元素，在 Headphone（1）和 Headphone（a）上做透明组件，意味着一般产线无法满足「透明」的无尘需求，因为透明材质会凸显任何微小的灰尘。所以这些产品需要在工厂里单独设置专区，在更高的无尘等级下生产。
这些都是「术」的层面，实际上，「道」的层面才是决定性因素。
在 Nothing，这个决定性因素叫「ID Intent（工业设计意图）」，当你想要这么去做的时候，你才会这么去做。
很多大企业的产品之所以设计不彰，不是因为没有好的设计师，更主要的原因是设计师的声音不被重视，设计意图往往屈从于工程实现的简单性，生产的便利性以及毛利率。
▲ Nothing 早期产品
Nothing 的特殊性有很多，比如他们创业就是从耳机产品开始的，然后才有手机和其他的产品；再比如他们总部以及核心设计团队位于伦敦，一个物理位置上远离深圳和加州，但靠近戴森，Teenage Engineering 和皇家艺术学院的地方；他们认为「人」是设备的中心，而不是手机……
最关键的一点是，Nothing 有世界上顶级的设计团队，这个设计团队是在品牌维度上进行设计工作，而不是具体的产品维度，高岩透露，Nothing 设计团队在智能产品上的投入精力，甚至比手机还多。高岩说：
这不仅仅是规模或者经济的问题，这其实是组织的问题，我们一开始就把设计当做最重要的事情，也并不区分 Nothing 智能产品的设计和 Nothing 手机的设计。
在 Nothing 内部有一本被称之为「设计圣经」的 Design Book，这是一本数百页厚，好几斤重的大部头，几乎没有文字，只有图片，它对内传递的，是一种设计意识和设计共识。
也就是说，在 Nothing 内部，在设计总监 Adam Bates，在高岩，在这家公司的所有人看来，智能产品的角色不是手机的配件，各条产品线之间没有主次之分。因而，抽象的设计意识，和具体的设计意图，都能统一地，不偏不倚地被倾注到 Nothing 所有的产品里面去。
▲Nothing Phone（4a）Pro
用户不会因为产品「智能」就买单，但会为「有趣和好用」付钱
虽然高岩的职位是Nothing Smart Products 负责人，但实际上，Nothing 的智能产品依旧只有耳机，各种各样的耳机；在 Nothing 子品牌 CMF 上会看到智能手表产品。
那么，问题就来了，为什么 Nothing 不做主品牌的手表呢？
高岩告诉爱范儿：
> Nothing 和 CMF 的产品矩阵以及发布节奏不是完全一样，主要是因为我们对品类的认知深度，能力积累，还有品类与品牌匹配的思考，决定了现在的产品节奏。 > > > Nothing 手表我们有了规划，后续会和大家见面的。
对于 Nothing 智能手表有所期待的人不止我一人，原因非常简单，手表相比于手机和耳机的装饰属性更进一步，这恰好是 Nothing 的优势领域。
▲CMF Watch Pro 2
再更进一步的话，智能眼镜更是需要被设计改造的智能产品，受限于电池能量密度，半导体性能等因素，现今多数智能眼镜产品看上去笨重臃肿，且有过强的塑料感。
对于 Nothing 来说，用公版方案做一个能用的产品，加一点 Nothing 的标志性设计并不难，但这不是 Nothing 会做的事情，因为虽然这个品牌以设计知名，但并不意味着它除了设计一无是处，相反，Nothing 对产品的思考其实相当审慎。
高岩告诉爱范儿：
> 眼镜确实是作为 AI 与人交互设备形态的天选之子，能听能看又能说，还可以加各种传感器，目前看是大家公认的 AI 时代终局设备形态。 > > > 特别是装饰属性和个性化表达，非常适合 Nothing 发力。 > > > 实际上我们内部一直在做眼镜各种模块的讨论和预研，为这个终局形态做准备。
在 Nothing 的 Ear（3）TWS 耳机上，有一个「Super Mic」的功能，这是为了解决嘈杂环境下，带耳机进行电话会议或者语音通话时候，环境滤噪效果不够好的问题。
Nothing 通过在耳机盒上增加麦克风和按钮，实现了比耳机本体麦克风好得多的拾音和环境滤噪。
这是高岩所说的 Nothing 产品逻辑：
> 不一定是更快的处理器，更多的功能，更强的参数，甚至不仅仅是独特的设计，而是在设计之外，我们能不能在这个品类上，给用户带来一点不一样的惊喜？
设计也许解决了用户会不会第一次选择 Nothing 的问题，但这些带点「惊喜」的功能，决定了用户会不会继续选择 Nothing。用高岩的话说就是：
> 未来用户愿意戴我们眼镜的时候，会不会「Wow」一下？用户戴它出门，是因为它带「智能」两个字，还是因为它本身就是个有趣且好用的产品？ > > > 当我们发布 Nothing 的眼镜时，一定不是因为「AI 需要载体，Nothing 需要在场」，而是因为 Nothing 的用户需要这样一款产品。
就像此前 Nothing 设计总监 Adam Bates 聊之所以他们会做头戴式耳机，是因为他们自己就很需要一款好的头戴式耳机一样，只有当产品首先解决了自己的需求，它才有机会打动一群相似的人。
爱 爱范儿 @刘学文
One Sentence Summary
An exclusive interview with Gao Yan, Head of Smart Products at Nothing, revealing how the brand achieves differentiation in the crowded audio and wearables market through the prioritization of 'design intent' and transparent aesthetics.
Summary
This article is an in-depth interview with Gao Yan, Head of Smart Products at Nothing. It explores how Nothing competes with giants like Apple and Sony in the cutthroat audio and IoT markets through its highly recognizable 'transparent aesthetics' and design consistency. Gao points out that Nothing's core competitiveness lies in 'ID Intent' (Industrial Design Intent), meaning design does not compromise for engineering simplicity or cost. Through an internal 'Design Bible,' the company ensures equal status for all product lines, rather than treating headphones as mere phone accessories. Furthermore, the interview reveals Nothing's cautious planning regarding smartwatches and AI glasses, emphasizing that products should return to the essence of being 'fun and useful' rather than blindly chasing 'smart' labels or AI concepts.
Main Points
* 1. Nothing adheres to a highly recognizable 'logo-less' design, achieving high consistency between phones and IoT products.
Through the unified application of materials, lines, and transparent craftsmanship, Nothing has successfully made its products instantly recognizable without looking at the logo, breaking the industry status quo where IoT products are linked only by Bluetooth connection rather than design.
* 2. 'ID Intent' (Industrial Design Intent) is the highest principle in Nothing's organizational structure.
Unlike large enterprises where design is subordinate to engineering and gross margins, Nothing treats design as the core of its brand. Designers have significant decision-making power, even going so far as to set up dedicated zones in factories to meet the dust-free requirements of transparent designs.
* 3. The smart audio market is a 'game for the brave,' with competitive intensity even higher than the mobile phone industry.
The headphone industry is crowded with numerous brands across a wide spectrum. Nothing must achieve world-class levels in basic experiences (noise cancellation, sound quality) while attracting Gen-Z through personalization and differentiation.
* 4. Nothing maintains a cautious attitude toward AI and new form-factor devices, emphasizing that 'fun and useful' takes priority over 'smart.'
When researching products like AI glasses, Nothing refuses to be present just for the sake of being present. It believes that a product must first solve real user needs and bring surprises, rather than just serving as a carrier for AI.
Key Quotes
* Nothing phones possess a capability that should be common in the industry but is actually quite rare: being instantly recognizable even when the logo is covered. * Design intent often yields to the simplicity of engineering implementation, production convenience, and gross margins. But at Nothing, design is the most important thing. * For a startup, headphones are not a good entry point; it's a 'game for the brave' with a very low survival probability. * Users won't pay just because a product is 'smart,' but they will pay for it being 'fun and useful.' * When we release Nothing glasses, it will certainly not be because 'AI needs a carrier and Nothing needs to be present,' but because Nothing's users need such a product.
AI Score
78
Website ifanr.com
Published At Today
Length 3593 words (about 15 min)
Tags
Nothing
Industrial Design
Consumer Electronics
Brand Strategy
Smart Wearables
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