A smartphone like the Nothing Phone (1) has never crossed my mind, but I have. Some of the design elements of the phone, like as the LED-illuminated transparent back panel, seem familiar after a while of using it.
On July 12, Nothing Inc. unveiled its first smartphone, the Nothing Phone (1). To succeed in this competitive market, a newcomer must take on some of the industry’s top-selling devices. Featuring a transparent design that includes LED lights. A lot of attention has been paid to Nothing’s smartphone launch.
NOTHING PHONE (1) SPECS
- Starting price: £399
- Storage: 128, 256
- Battery size: 4500 mAh
- Screen size: 6.55 inches
- Resolution (ppi): 2400 x 1080 (402)
- Adaptive refresh: Up to 120Hz
- Processor: Qualcomm SnapdragonTM 778G+
- Rear cameras: 50MP (Main, Ultra Wide)
- Front camera: 16MP
- Colors: White, Black
- Size: 6.3 x 3.0 x 0.3 inches
- Weight: 6.8 ounces
- Water resistance: IP53
Although it has a flat back and volume rockers on the right, it screams “iPhone.” Even though I love the iPhone design, there are times when I couldn’t tell the difference between an iPhone 13 Pro Max and a Nothing Phone (1) when they were both upright.
No matter how many times I did it, I always enjoyed the novelty of opening the Nothing phone for the first time. The phone’s moniker alone drew a slew of jokes, but it might also have been the way it came out of the box, displaying a weirdly translucent back.
There’s always a risk that the magic of a well-designed product may wear off. Being overshadowed by performance or software faults is a far worse fate. Before drawing any judgments, we’ll need to do our standard battery of tests, compare cameras, and see how the Nothing Phone (1) performs in real-world situations.
However, in the little time I had with Nothing Phone (1), one aspect of the design jumped out. Neither the iPhone nor the top Android phones have this feature.
Nothing Phone (1) design hands-on — Glyphs
The LED lights on the Nothing Phone (1) promise a show akin to those on the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, which both showcase the beauty of foldable screens.
A mechanism called Glyphs, which can be accessed in Nothing OS’s settings, powers the light show. Nothing OS is a basic and conventional Android skin. I was able to find the Glyph settings within just a few minutes of using the phone.
Based on your assignments, glyphs emerge on the Nothing Phone (1)’s rear panel in the form of distinct light flashes. The same way you choose favorite ringtones for incoming alerts, you can allocate certain glyphs to specific contacts and apps.
However, unlike a smartphone flashlight, the LEDs aren’t as brilliant or noticeable. When a Glyph debuts, you shouldn’t be flashing a light in the eyes of anyone around you if you hold up your phone. In a dark movie theater, the glyphs could be distracting if you’ve forgotten to turn off alerts, but in daylight or well-lit environments, they’re hardly noticeable.
Glyphs may sound nice, but you wouldn’t hear “ohs and ahs” if they interrupted a conference due of the way the lights are regulated. This shows smart design.
The Glyph-based alert system has piqued our interest, but we’ll need to give it more time before we can tell for sure how much we like it.
Nothing Phone (1) outlook
There’s a lot to prove when a whole new phone joins the market. Many people had high hopes for the Nothing Phone (1) design, but we’re not sure we can claim that it’s genuinely unique. There isn’t much originality in terms of design, so the LEDs and translucent backs will have to do the talking.
Things like camera quality, battery life, and display responsiveness all play a role in the success or failure of Nothing’s first mobile device. Soon, we’ll have more to say about it.
Starting at £399 for the 8GB/128GB version, the Phone (1) is available in white or black, and prices go from £499 for the 12GB/256GB variant. On July 21, 2022, the doors will open to the public for the first time.