Until recently, tech startup Nothing has remained somewhat under the radar.
That changed when the company, which was founded in 2020, announced its latest Nothing Phone (1), which quickly caught the attention of tech enthusiasts and consumers alike.
On June 16, the company revealed the phone’s design — the company’s second ever product launch — to a private audience at the Art Basel event in Switzerland.
Here’s everything we know so far about the latest phone, billed as one of the greenest on the market.
What makes Nothing Phone (1) so different?
At first glance, the model looks similar in design and features to the iPhone 12 – with flattened edges, side button placement and dual rear cameras.
The phone features a transparent back and is 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 to engage with our first technological products – like the transparent Gameboy or even the old cartridges,” Akis Evangelidis, head of marketing and co-founder of Nothing, told Euronews Next.
He adds that modern technology design has “become cold and doesn’t evoke the same sense of excitement that it used to.”
The design team is led by 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 Evangelidis. “We really don’t want to be another brand involved in greenwashing.”
The phone is made up of a 100 percent recycled aluminum frame, making it light and strong, 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-based soy ink, recycled fibers (bamboo, trees and sugarcane) and completely free of plastic components.
“We want to support our customers, as well as technology users, in making an informed decision as we continue 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’re left with are cold, unexciting and derivative products. It was time for a fresh look,” Carl Pei, CEO and co-founder of Nothing, said in a statement.
“Phone (1) was designed with intuition, creating a product for ourselves 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 run a custom version of Android powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset.
While many may be hoping the phone will use the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, it might be more reasonable to expect the more affordable Snapdragon 7 Gen 1.
In a tweet posted on June 15 announcing the new product, which showed the design of the back of the phone, Pei said, “leaks are harder to contain these days and many of you have been waiting for a long time. So there it is”.
When will the phone be released?
Nothing has yet set a specific date when the smartphone will go on sale.
The company first confirmed that it was working on a smartphone in March 2022, at the time only confirming that the launch would take place in the summer of that year.
The launch date has since become a bit more specific with the promise of the phone being unveiled on July 12th at 16:00 BST (17:00 CET).
There are rumors that the product will be available to order as soon as the event is over; however, others suggest that the launch may be delayed a bit due to supply chain issues.
Technically, though, you can buy the phone before it goes on sale.
The company has teamed up with StockX to auction off the first 100 serialized units of the phone (1), with all proceeds going to a community-managed fund.
The special phones will be engraved and serialized, available in a 48-hour auction starting on June 21 at 14:00 BST (3:00 CET).
How much will the Nothing Phone (1) cost?
Since the launch of the phone is yet to come, nothing has put a solid price on the product yet. However, judging by the company’s previous releases, it is expected to be more affordable than its competitors.
The Ear (1) headphones, for example, were priced at $99 (€94.09), leagues below the price of their counterparts, while retaining premium features like active noise cancellation.
If the same ethos is applied to the launch of the company’s latest product, we can expect the phone (1) to come at a mid-range price point without sacrificing the premium features you’d expect from industry-leading smartphones.
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