Yep, this is yet again another blog article talking about the Nothing Phone (1). But you can’t blame us or anyone else who has written an article about the company and its debut smartphone. Nothing Technology single-handedly made everyone look back and realize that the modern phones launched by most consumer tech companies have become pretty stale and boring.
Because everything looks and feels the same, many of us have lost interest in new launches. The fact that they have become monotonous is a fact we can’t ignore. But then, a young consumer tech company piqued everyone’s interest by calling out tech giants for being uninteresting. Intrigued, everyone closely followed this tech company and has been patiently waiting for the launch of their debut phone (1).
I know I was intrigued. A company that had just released one product, the Ear (1), a wireless earbud, dared to call out the consumer tech industry?
If you don’t belong to the group of people intrigued by the young company, you might belong to people who have never heard of Nothing tech before and are wondering what the Phone (1) is.
This article is for everyone. The intrigued people and those who’ve been glued to the story of Nothing Technology’s long-anticipated debut smartphone. Aren’t we eager to find out whether the wait was worth it?
On the 12th of July, Nothing Technology finally launched their debut phone by streaming their Keynote live on YouTube. Let me remind you that this is not a review of the Phone (1). This is more of an article that talks about what the Nothing Phone (1) will have in store for us.
The Phone (1) has been a highly publicized product, with several of its pics being leaked (intentionally or unintentionally). So, it won’t be surprising if you feel like you already know the information we will be showcasing below. Now, without further ado.
Nothing: The Phone (1)
First of all, Nothing Phone (1), as of now, comes in two colors, white and black. While we only got to see the white version of the smartphone throughout the marketing of the product, Carl Pei, Nothing Technology’s founder, did reveal the black version of the Nothing Phone (1) as well. And while most tech influencers who have bought the Phone prefer the black Phone (1) over the white, I beg to differ. I like the white one more.
Yes, I agree that the black Phone (1) does look sleeker, especially when the Glyph interface on the rear light up. But personally, I find the white Phone (1) better looking because we get a clearer view of the insides of the Phone’s rear. And isn’t that what Nothing stands for? To make products whose design highlights and celebrates the craftsmanship underneath and reveals the raw beauty of our technology?
Phone (1): The Glyph Interface
While the complete Nothing Phone (1) tech specs, release regions, and pricing details are below, this article will primarily discuss the transparent design and Glyph interface because they are the main attractions.
Yes, the design is both radical and refreshing. Seeing the insides does, in a way, evoke emotion about technology we haven’t had in a while. I mean, how does the transparent design not make you excited?
But is the Glyph interface good? I mean, it looks cool, but what’s its purpose? Is it just an accessory that makes the Phone look cool? Is it useful? Would you use it? I, for one, don’t think I would?
The first reason is that it’s super bright. No really. When I saw Carl Pei switch on the Glyph interface during the Keynote, I could feel my eyes burning due to the intensity of the interface’s brightness.
So, in the Keynote, Carl Pei mentions that the purpose of the Glyph interface isn’t just to make your Phone look cool. You can use it as a visual ringtone. He even gave an example. Imagine you are in a meeting, and you keep your Phone on the table. Wouldn’t it disturb everyone around you when your Phone starts ringing? So, what do we all do? We put in on silent! But then, what if it is an emergency call? What if it’s a phone call you have to pick up? That’s where the Glyph interface comes in.
The Glyph interface allows you to make a unique caller ID. So you can flip your Phone over, and your unique visual ringtone will start glowing when someone calls you. How convenient is that?
NO! LET ME BREAK IT TO YOU. IT ISN’T THAT CONVENIENT.
I mean, if I were in a meeting and saw someone’s phone lighting up in different patterns on the side, I would most definitely look! Who wouldn’t? Isn’t that more of a distraction? And if I was the person who owned the Nothing Phone (1), I would take the darndest of time to remember what pattern I kept for whom. And we only have 10 options as of now. So what if I kept the same pattern for someone I didn’t even care about?
Oh, wait… I can make patterns of my own. I completely forgot… NOT! I don’t have the time to make new patterns for each contact. Nor do I have the mental capacity to remember every one of them. I am not here to crap the Phone (1) and its design. I think the idea is novel. But it isn’t all that hyped up to be.
Yes, I know that the brightness can be reduced. As I said, I am not here to talk bad about the Phone (1) and all its specs. I am giving out my opinions after discovering everything the Phone (1) will give us and trying to wrap my head around the enormous hype behind the product.
Now, for the good stuff. Apart from the Glyph interface acting as a visual ringtone, it can also be used as a super bright flashlight. No, I am not joking. As mentioned earlier, the LED lights are bright.
Also, the LED lights can be pretty useful if you want to take above-average close-up pictures of something in a dark room.
While the company has stated that the Glyph Interface is just the beginning of all the different things they will bring to their future products, I think this whole feature was hyped up more than it should be. Let me remind you that I believe the idea is fascinating but was it worth all this hype?
Nothing Phone (1) – Other Specs
The Nothing Phone (1) runs on Android 12 with Nothing OS 1.0.2. As with the hardware. The Phone 1’s 6.55-inch OLED display has equal-sized bezels on all four sides.
| Display | 6.55 OLED display (2,400 x 1,080 resolution at 402 PPI) / 500 nits brightness and 1,200 nits peak brightness / 240Hz touch sampling rate |
| Refresh rate | Adaptive refresh rate (60-120Hz) |
| Chipset | 6nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ chip |
| RAM + storage | 8GB RAM + 128GB storage / 8GB RAM + 256GB storage / 12GB RAM + 256GB storage |
| Battery | 4,500 mAh |
| Charging | 33W PD3.0 wired, 15W Qi wireless with dual charging support, 5W reverse charging |
| Biometrics | In-display fingerprint sensor / face unlock |
| SIM slots | 2 |
| Wireless | 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| IP rating | IP53 water and dust-resistance |
| Android version | Android 12 with Nothing OS 1.0.2 |
| Dimensions | 159.2 x 75.8 x 8.3mm |
| Weight | 193.5g |
| Colors | White and Black |
It is a mid-range smartphone with an excellent design. Nothing more, Nothing less. But despite the Phone only having the mid-range chipset, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+, did you know Qualcomm closely worked with the Nothing company? The chipset in the Nothing Phone (1) alone enables you to do wireless and reverse wireless charging. Pretty cool, right?
Also, for the NFT enthusiasts, the Nothing Phone (1) has a small NFT widget that gives you updates and lets you keep your NFTs.
Another interesting fact about the Nothing Phone (1) is that it is 100% bloatware and add-free, making it come across as respectful to its users while also being sophisticated. I love that about it!
I also very much appreciate that when creating the Phone (1), they tried to be as environmentally friendly as possible. The Phone (1) is made of 100% recycled Aluminium. So there is no plastic. I hope large consumer techs follow suit.
Nothing Phone (1) – Camera
Nothing Phone (1) has three cameras in total. There is, of course, a selfie camera on the front, a wide lens (50-megapixel), and an ultrawide (50-megapixel) lens on the rear.
| Selfie camera | 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 sensor with f/2.45 aperture / 1080p at 30 fps |
| Wide camera | 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 sensor with f/1.88 aperture |
| Ultrawide camera | 50-megapixel Samsung JN1 sensor with f/2.2 aperture and 114-degree FOV / 4cm macro mode |
The rear cameras can record 4K resolution at 30 fps or 1080p at 30 fps or 60 fps. When you record a video on the Phone (1), you can see the light flashing in its rear. It also does slo-mo video capture at 120 fps. Together, the rear camera system has OIS and EIS for stabilization.
Nothing Phone (1) – Release Regions
Although the Phone (1) is not launching in the U.S. and Canada, the Nothing company says the Nothing Phone (1) will be released on July 21 in “40+ countries and regions, including the UK, Europe, and Japan at Nothing. tech and select carriers and retailers.”
Nothing will be selling the Phone (1) directly in the UK at the company kiosk, Smartech, Selfridges, London, on the 16th of July. It will also be sold on Amazon (UK). The carrier, O2, will also sell the Phone (1).
Nothing Phone (1) – Price
Nothing shared the UK pricing for the Nothing Phone (1). They’re as follows:
| 8GB RAM + 128GB storage | £399 (about $473 USD) |
| 8GB RAM + 256GB storage | £449 (about $533 USD) |
| 12GB RAM + 256GB storage | £499 (about $592 USD) |
Because these were converted from GBP to USD at the time of writing, these prices are subject to change.
The Verdict:
The first impression the Phone (1) leaves leans more towards the ‘not bad’ category. While that is not exactly the category that Nothing and its hype machine was hoping to impart, it should be noted that what the Nothing Phone (1) currently offers is a good set of specs for a mid-range phone with a clean interface with a novel notification system.
It doesn’t knock me as the revolutionary device that the company’s marketing it as. Is it pure retro nostalgia? Not really. Is it the Phone of the future? Nope. But that’s fine because it has a good shot at being an excellent midrange phone for right now. My thoughts might change when I buy the Phone and use it, I guess? But that’s for another time. Until then, Sayonara!
What are your thoughts on the Nothing Phone (1)? Is it worth the hype? Do you like it? Tell us in the comments below!