Since its launch in late 2020, mysterious start-up Nothing – created by former OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei – has led a reasonably personal existence. Nevertheless its second product ever, the Nothing Cellphone (1), is now confirmed to be coming this summer season – and has in actual fact already gone on sale. Kind of.
With information that the cellphone’s full launch will likely be invite-only, and gained’t arrive within the US in any respect, pleasure for some followers has probably been dampened – however that is nonetheless a reasonably distinctive cellphone that can little question earn (a few of) its hype.
There are already particulars surrounding the cellphone’s software program, characteristic set, and the {hardware} it’ll sport when it does arrive formally subsequent month. Right here’s all we all know to this point.
When is the Nothing Cellphone (1) launch date?
The corporate first confirmed that it was engaged on a smartphone at its 23 March occasion, however on the time solely confirmed that the cellphone would launch in the summertime. Since then it’s gotten extra particular, promising to launch the cellphone at an occasion on 12 July at 4pm BST (that’s 8am PT, 11am ET, 5pm CEST, 8:30pm IST).
German tech web site AllRound PC claims to have obtained pricing and availability info from a “European supplier,” who wished to stay nameless. Based on the supply, the Cellphone (1) will arrive on 21 July. Clearly that’s after the cellphone’s now-confirmed launch occasion, however might nonetheless be revealing: this may be the date the cellphone formally goes on sale.
When it does launch although, not everybody will be capable of purchase one. The cellphone will initially solely be accessible by means of an invitation system, which is able to apparently permit Nothing to guarantee that the primary individuals to get the Cellphone (1) are “locally”, and the “individuals who deserve it probably the most.” Learn on under for full particulars of how to join an invitation now, or try our extra detailed information to the way to pre-order the Cellphone (1).
Though it’s not out but, some individuals have technically already purchased the cellphone. Nothing partnered with public sale web site StockX to launch the primary 100 items – all engraved and serialised – in a 48-hour public sale that ran from 21-23 June, with the best bid ending up at over $2,000/£2,000. Every of the highest 100 bidders obtained a cellphone engraved with a quantity comparable to the worth of their bid – with primary going to the best bidder.
Nothing / StockX
The place will the Nothing Cellphone (1) launch?
Yet one more factor to notice is international availability. Nothing has already confirmed worldwide service companions throughout Europe, the Center East, Asia, and Australia, however the cellphone isn’t getting a launch within the US or Canada.
Nothing has confirmed to PCMag that it’ll solely be working a “closed beta program” with “a restricted variety of our personal neighborhood buyers within the U.S.”. It appears like even these fortunate few will wrestle to make use of the cellphone broadly, with “unpredictable” service on T-Cell, no voice-over-4G on AT&T, and no service on Verizon in any respect.
“Whereas we’d like to carry cellphone (1) to the complete neighborhood all over the world, we’re specializing in residence markets, together with the UK and Europe, the place now we have robust partnerships with main native carriers. It takes rather a lot to launch a smartphone as , from guaranteeing the handset is supported by the nation’s mobile applied sciences to service partnerships and native regulation, and as we’re nonetheless a younger model we have to be strategic about it.”
Nonetheless, there may be hope sooner or later. The corporate confirmed that it has “massive plans to launch a U.S. supported smartphone sooner or later,” however no dedication to when that may be.
Tips on how to get a Nothing Cellphone (1) invite
As we talked about above, shopping for the cellphone gained’t be as simple as simply turning as much as the shop on day one – you’ll want an invitation.
It is a advertising and marketing device straight out of the OnePlus playbook, although the Nothing group admits that as a lot as something it is a query of provide and demand. As a small firm, Nothing has restricted manufacturing capability, and there’s a danger that the cellphone might be troublesome to buy round launch if it goes straight to common sale – or that they’d must delay the launch to construct up inventory first. The invite system will get round each issues.
Some members of the Nothing neighborhood have already obtained invitations to safe a pre-order slot, however don’t concern – there are nonetheless extra left.
You could have till 11 July to enroll to the general public waitlist on the Nothing web site. You’ll then be capable of see your place within the queue.
It’s not static although – log into your Nothing account and also you’ll discover a referral hyperlink. Share that with family and friends, and after they signal as much as the record you’ll transfer up the queue too.
Pre-order invitations will likely be despatched out in batches up till 11 July, and when you get an invitation you will have 48 hours to pay a £20/₹2,000 non-refundable deposit to safe your pre-order. That deposit will likely be deducted from the ultimate worth of the cellphone, however you’ll additionally get the identical sum of money again in credit score to spend in opposition to both Ear (1) earbuds or any of the official (and but to be introduced) Cellphone (1) equipment.
Lastly, ranging from 12 July you’ll obtain an electronic mail with a hyperlink to purchase the precise cellphone. At that time you’ll have 14 days to position your order.
In case you’re tempted, you’ll need to act quick although – on the time of writing there are already over 10,000 individuals on the waitlist, and that quantity is barely more likely to go up.
How a lot will the Nothing Cellphone (1) price?
With a launch but to come back, we naturally don’t know the Cellphone (1)’s worth. Count on it to be extra reasonably priced than most, nevertheless.
The corporate’s Ear (1) headphones boasted aggressive pricing at $99/£99/€99, whereas retaining premium options like ANC (lively noise cancellation), inserting them on the higher finish of what could be thought-about ‘finances’ inside their respective product class.
If the identical remedy had been to be utilized to the Cellphone (1), we’d count on it to hit the market round $/£/€500.
That’s precisely what was predicted by the unnamed European supplier who recommended the 21 July launch date, talked about above, claiming that Nothing’s debut cellphone will price round €500 at launch. A leak from Amazon Germany reveals pricing in an identical vary: €469 for 8+128GB, and €549 for 12+256GB.
That worth – or perhaps a little larger – would place the Cellphone (1) effectively to tackle the likes of Realme’s GT 2 Professional and Google’s Pixel 6, whereas critically undercutting flagships just like the Oppo Discover X5 Professional, Samsung Galaxy S22 and iPhone 13.
What are the Nothing Cellphone (1) specs and options?
Carl Pei’s former firm OnePlus is notorious inside the trade for drip feeding particulars of its merchandise forward of launches, and the identical ethos has clearly carried over to Nothing, so we already know somewhat about what to anticipate.
Design
Essentially the most tantalising is the cellphone’s design, lastly revealed on 15 June. You’ll have seen it on the prime of the web page, however you will get a greater look in these two photographs of the cellphone from its real-world debut on the Artwork Basel present:
The design language is instantly acquainted to anybody who’s seen the Ear (1) headphones, with a mixture of white and clear plastic that hints on the cellphone’s internals with out explicitly revealing an excessive amount of of them. We will additionally spot a quantity rocker on one aspect, with an influence button throughout on the opposite.
These pictures additionally reveal that the cellphone packs a set of LED mild strips. You’ll be able to see these in motion within the video under from MKBHD, they usually seem to have the ability to flash in white (although solely white) in varied patterns. Because the YouTuber particulars, the lights are apparently known as the Glyph Interface, they usually have just a few neat tips:
Flashing for notificationsGlowing across the charging coil when reverse wi-fi chargingSlowly filling the underside bar when utilizing wired charging, as a battery indicatorAll illuminating without delay as a fill mild when utilizing the cameraFlashing in distinct patterns in time to a variety of pre-set ringtones and notification alerts
The corporate has individually confirmed that the cellphone’s body will likely be made out of recycled aluminium.
German web site WinFuture has obtained high-resolution pictures of the cellphone that appear to disclose a second model of the cellphone, in black. A black mannequin wouldn’t be an enormous shocked – whereas the Ear (1) buds launched in white, a black mannequin finally adopted later. Black telephones historically promote the most effective too, so it’s good to incorporate one within the line-up.
WinFuture
Pei and head of design Tom Howard spoke with Wallpaper* in an interview that comprises quite a few tidbits which grant extra perception into the event of the Cellphone (1)’s {hardware} (and, to a lesser extent, its software program).
Whereas sharing some idea sketches, Howard acknowledged, “From a design perspective, we actually needed to carry the within out… There are over 400 parts in a smartphone, assembled in layers. We needed to have fun the ‘good ones,’ the issues we thought had been actually fascinating to stress.”
The scanned sketchbook web page (above) may also maintain some extra technical info, with the width of one of many sketches sporting a measurement of 51mm (which might recommend a really small gadget, primarily based on the proportions of the general sketch), whereas a few figures might be seen, partially minimize off on the far proper of the scanned web page: ’90’ and ’64’, which might recommend a 90Hz show and a base storage of 64GB, though it’s troublesome to make out.
The interview additionally covers the challenges of making use of the clear aesthetic to a cellphone, and the way Nothing’s engineering group labored to put out and magnificence the seen parts in a “jigsaw puzzle” that’s not solely purposeful and logical however visually pleasing as effectively.
Howard mentions that iconic transit maps just like the 1972 New York subway map by Massimo Vignelli and Bob Noorda, in addition to Harry Beck’s unique 1933 London Underground map (itself impressed by circuit diagrams and the visible readability) have performed an element in informing the visible language set for use by the Cellphone (1).
Core specs
First up, Nothing has confirmed just a few key specs formally. The massive one is that the cellphone will use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ chipset, dashing hopes that it will use the flagship Snapdragon Eight Gen 1 or the newer Snapdragon 7 Gen 1.
Carl Pei advised Enter that the “custom-tuned” model of the chip was made particularly for Nothing, and that Qualcomm added in help for wi-fi charging and reverse charging only for this cellphone.
We already knew the cellphone would characteristic wi-fi charging – which you’ll be able to see within the massive round coil current in the midst of the design.
In fact that design additionally reveals a twin rear digital camera, although specs for it stay unknown for now.
One leak on SlashLeaks factors to additional specs, although with the supply unverified we’d take it with a pinch of salt. Apparently we are able to count on a 120Hz OLED show, 50Mp fundamental rear digital camera, and a 4500mAh battery with 45W charging.
The 23 March announcement occasion additionally cleanly laid out a few of Nothing’s different key {hardware} and manufacturing companions, with Samsung, Sony, and Visionox all making an look, alluding to who could also be accountable for supplying the Nothing Cellphone (1)’s show, digital camera sensors, and extra.
Getting again to hypothesis, TUV certification for a Nothing-branded charger appears to disclose that the cellphone will help 45W charging speeds. Keep in mind that that is probably for the cellphone’s wired charging, and its wi-fi capabilities are probably somewhat slower.
Nothing OS
On the March announcement occasion Pei additionally launched Nothing OS: the Android-based person expertise that can debut on the corporate’s first smartphone.
In Pei’s personal phrases, Nothing OS “captures the most effective options of pure Android, distilling the working system to only the necessities, the place each byte has a objective.”
It’s a decidedly acquainted strategy, following comparable rules to the OxygenOS person expertise discovered on telephones made by Pei’s former firm OnePlus.
As seen within the screenshots above, there’s a definite aesthetic to Nothing OS, carrying by means of the retro-futurism already seen throughout the model’s wider belongings.
Goal-made iconography and the corporate’s signature dot matrix font are plentiful, with a “easy and uniform expertise” manifesting in components just like the clock, which persists throughout the always-on show, lock display and residential display, providing better coherence.
The OS’s sound design is seemingly influenced by “Morse code, oscillators and digital watches,” whereas the person expertise will reportedly be comparatively mild on UI animations, in pursuit of providing a cleaner and less complicated navigation expertise.
Pei additionally promised 40% fewer pre-loaded apps, specializing in Google’s personal experiences as the primary port of name for many providers, in addition to tight integration, not simply with Nothing merchandise, however gadgets and providers from different firms; with Apple’s AirPods and Tesla’s vehicles getting name-checked through the March stream.
To spherical out the software program aspect of issues, Pei promised three years of Android OS updates and 4 years of safety updates, which paired with a summer season launch means that the Cellphone (1) will arrive working Android 12.
If you need a style of what Nothing OS will appear and feel like, you will get the Nothing Launcher in your cellphone proper now, with a beta model of the corporate’s app launcher accessible on choose telephones working Android 11 or newer. It’s not the total OS, however provides you with a touch of what’s to come back.
Take a look at our rundown of probably the most hotly-anticipated telephones of 2022, to see what else is coming apart from the Nothing Cellphone (1) this yr and examine again right here frequently to see how the story develops.
