We’d be lying if we said we weren’t ready for Nothing’s Phone 1 to debut already. Announced several months back, the new device from the company that’s already impressed us with its earbuds promised to awaken a sleepy smartphone market, hinting at the lack of true innovations that have taken place. It officially leaked a single image of the much-anticipated phone last month to combat the unofficial reveals floating around.
Now, the London-based company has fully unveiled the Nothing Phone 1 at a launch event, with a product page now on its website, along with some more information. We already saw the white case version, but now the black variant has also debuted, which pairs rather nicely with the circular LED light strips underneath and the dual cameras on the backside of the phone. Aside from doubling as a portable ring light for photos or videos, the light strips operate under the Glyph Interface, which is said to display unique light patterns for different contacts and app notifications, meaning you don’t always have to check your screen when a new notification comes in.
Nothing promises its new phone will be simplified, with 40% fewer pre-installs on a more barebones version of Google’s Android operating system. Running on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G+ chipset, Phone 1 also celebrates an open ecosystem where third-party products can have a seamless integration. On a more stylistic, if not novel, level, the smartphone also comes with several bespoke widgets, sounds, and wallpapers, including the previously-announced interactive analog reel recorder.
Available in three versions — 8 RAM with 128GB memory, 8 RAM with 256GB memory, and 12 RAM with 256GB memory — the Nothing Phone 1 is currently up for sale on Nothing’s website for UK customers and is priced from £399 (~$475).
