Nothing Phone (1) Revealed With Truly Noteworthy Design
Smartphone leaks are difficult to contain these days. That is why, Nothing has revealed its upcoming smartphone officially, giving us a sweeping look at the back panel of the Nothing Phone (1) nearly a month before the launch event. Here's a fair warning: the resemblance to an iPhone is uncanny.
Nothing, the newest venture by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, has long been anticipated to launch its smartphone since the launch of its first Bluetooth earphones — the Ear (1) — in 2021. Even though speculations about the Nothing Phone (1) have floated on the internet since the beginning of 2022, the company has done a fairly good job at keeping its design under wraps. Nothing recently also revealed the smartphone will be launched on July 12, 2022, but the latest reveal gives the company enough time to drum up excitement among former OnePlus fans disappointed by the company's straying from its original philosophy of "Never Settle."
Nothing, however, is different and does not aim to be the best in terms of specifications. But at the same time, it has followed the same strategy as OnePlus to pep up hype for its devices for most of its existence. Back in March 2022, Nothing held a special event. Although it was expected to launch the Phone (1), the event was just to emphasize the (relatively) minimal user experience its custom software based on Android will bring.
Riding the hype train
The official reveal gives us a healthy look at the Nothing Phone (1), including its design, the camera orientation, and reaffirmed support for wireless charging suggested by the coil on the back. The phone comes clad in gray and white with silver accents that break the monotony. While the back panel appears to comprise several sections, the possibility of a previously rumored transparent back isn't exactly ruled out. The undefined caricature first revealed at Nothing's March 2022 event now somewhat makes sense.
The dual-camera module is bound to remind one of the linear camera arrangement of the iPhone 12 or the iPhone X. This is not to implicate the Nothing Phone (1) attempts to copy the iPhone models but the company's verbiage has always revolved around themes similar to those of Apple, including a simple yet effective design and ease of use.
Besides revealing the design of the back panel, the teaser does not offer much information about the specifications. In classic OnePlus fashion, we can expect the details to be revealed bit-by-bit in the days leading up to the launch in July 2022. Meanwhile, a flurry of leaks has given us some insight into what the phone houses.
Official reveals surpass leaks
Nothing's partnership with Qualcomm for its first smartphone has been officially teased since November 2021. The exact choice of Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset is unclear but a sketchy leak (which we would advise against taking too seriously) suggests the phone to be powered by the Snapdragon 778G. In our opinion, it would make more sense for Nothing to opt for the rather powerful and advanced Snapdragon 7 Gen 1.
Another leak points towards a flat-edged 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution. That may either be another attempt to be in the same rubric as the iPhone or settle among mid-range Android phones. There are no leaks about the refresh rate or the color calibration of the display but we can expect the Nothing Phone (1) to meet (if not exceed) the standards as per price.
Meanwhile, a tweet from the official Nothing Twitter account in May 2022 reveals the company plans to use recycled aluminum mid-frame for the phone. Additionally, wireless charging has been confirmed too. The official revealing of details several weeks before the official announcement leaves much room for a step-by-step unlocking of more details about the Nothing Phone (1), so it won't be shocking to find this device unveiled one piece at a time.