
If you’ve been keeping an eye on tech news the past couple of weeks, you probably would have seen several leaks of the highly-anticipated phone (1) from Nothing, a new-ish company whose product line as of now consists only of a pair of ultra-light wireless earbuds called ear (1). Back in March, Nothing CEO Carl Pei unveiled plans for the new smartphone which aims to shake up the “sleepy smartphone market.”
In lieu of having to stave off more leaks in the coming weeks prior to its proper reveal on July 12, Nothing has just decided to “officially” leak an image of the new phone itself. Previously, all the public had seen from the company were screenshots of the phone (1)’s UI, but now the caseback has been revealed as well. Light gray and partially transparent with an intentionally piecemeal design, the case is decidedly narrower than its contemporaries — although official specs have yet to be listed — and sports a circular light strip underneath its translucent materials. For those who aren’t taken enough by the phone itself, Nothing has also paired it with a green macaw on top (sold separately).
The phone (1) is a response to the lack of actual innovations made with each new smartphone release on the market. Pei explicates that, other than additional camera lenses or a change in size, these updates are mere enhancements and far from revolutionary. We don’t know anything new about the phone (1) other than what was announced back in March, but what we heard then seems to be along the lines of what the CEO promised. Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon platform and utilizing a barebones version of Google’s Android operating system, the new Nothing phone prioritizes streamlined utility (e.g., 40% fewer pre-installs, uniform date/time setup across all screens, and a quicker app loading time), but also relishes in new pleasures such as the unique dot matrix aesthetic and interactive analog tape reel recorder graphic.
Nothing’s phone (1) will also pave the way for its open ecosystem approach, featuring effortless connectivity and support for devices from other brands as well. We can’t wait until Nothing’s July 12 event to find out more. Keep your eyes peeled until then.