That changed when the company, which was founded in 2020, announced the newest Nothing Phone (1), which quickly gained attention from tech enthusiasts and was officially launched on Tuesday. Nothing says that the smartphone offers 18 hours of use on each charge and two days of standby and that it can reach 50 percent of power in just 30 minutes of charging. He says the phone also has a number of remote features, including the ability to unlock the doors of a Tesla car. Here’s what you need to know about the newest handset, which has been touted as one of the most eco-friendly on the market.
What makes Nothing Phone (1) so different?
At first glance, the model appears to be similar in design and features to the iPhone 12 – with flattened edges, side button layout and dual rear cameras. The phone features a transparent back and was inspired by artists such as Massimo Vignelli who designed the New York subway map and made a complex system look like art. “We were inspired by our childhood, the rush of engaging with our first technological products – like the transparent Gameboy, or even old cassettes,” Akis Evagelidis, Head of Marketing and Co-Founder of Nothing, told Euronews Next. interview in June. He added that modern technology design “has become cold and doesn’t evoke the same sense of excitement as it used to.” Leading the design team is Adam Bates, a former Dyson designer. What really sets this product apart, however, is Nothing’s commitment to sustainability. “We cannot deny the importance of sustainability at this stage, especially in the consumer technology industry,” continued Evagelides. “We really don’t want to become another brand that engages in greenwashing.” The phone consists of a 100 percent recycled aluminum frame that makes it light and robust, while over 50 percent of the phone’s plastic components are made from bio-based or post-consumer recycled materials – an industry-leading percentage. The packaging for the phone will also be made from bio-friendly soy ink, recycled fibers (bamboo, trees and sugarcane) and completely free of plastic components. “We want to support our customers, but also technology users, in making an informed decision while continuing to find new ways to improve the sustainability of technology,” Evangelidis told Euronews Next. “For years, it felt like all the artists had left the industry. All we were left with was cold, unexciting and derivative products. It was time for a new idea,” said Carl Pei, CEO and Co-Founder of Nothing. he said in a statement. “Phone (1) was designed on instinct, making a product for us and more importantly that we would be proud to share with our loved ones. We can’t wait for people to start experiencing it.” The Nothing phone will have a custom version of Android, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset.
Challenging Big Tech
Pei co-founded smartphone maker OnePlus in 2013 and made it a rival to Apple and Samsung, offering premium features at half the price and becoming the best-seller in many countries, including India. After leaving OnePlus in 2020, he founded Nothing last year with backing from the likes of Tony Fadell, designer of Apple’s iPod, Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin and Reddit CEO Steve Huffman. The Nothing Phone (1) is only the company’s second product launch, following last year’s Ear wireless headphones (1) which were priced at $99 (€98.7), levels lower than their counterparts, while maintaining high-end features quality, such as active noise cancellation.
How much does the Nothing Phone (1) cost?
The Nothing Phone (1) is priced from £399 (€473), with the company saying it’s cheaper than premium phones with similar features, and that there are over 200,000 pre-orders for it. OnePlus used an invite-only strategy to sell smartphones that created high demand by keeping customers in a constant state of anticipation. Following a similar strategy, Nothing auctioned off an initial 100 of the new phones in June, bringing in bids of more than $3,000, he said. The company partnered with StockX to auction the first serial units, with all proceeds going to a community-managed fund.
