Startup Nothing is looking to expand its guise into the US this year, starting most significantly with its forthcoming Nothing Phone (2). The firm's CEO, Carl Pei, tells Inverse that the next steps are primarily focused on the US market in tandem with several upgrades to the software as the company tries to keep its exciting products at the forefront of the consumer tech space.
The original Nothing Phone (1) debuted initially on July 16, 2022, having been officially announced only four months prior on March 23, 2022. Although bearing some similarities with Apple's iPhone, specifically its iPhone 12, the Nothing Phone is vastly different from its competitors. It runs on Nothing OS, the firm's own operating system powered by Android, and features several high-tech internals, the most prominent among them being a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ processor and an Adreno 642L GPU.
Currently, the Nothing Phone (1) is available in the US only via a so-called "beta program," wherein consumers can pay $299 to receive a Nothing Phone that has limited wireless connectivity on US networks. This beta membership will allow the startup to test how the phones work with Android 13. However, those who opt-in only get the black model as opposed to the transparent white version, which appears to be the more beloved option.
Those who apply for Nothing's US beta membership can keep the phones after the trial period ends come June 3. The only US carrier with 5G bands available for the Nothing Phone (1) is T-Mobile, while T-Mobile, Verizon, and the latter all have a slew of available LTE bands.
Despite hindrances in the US, the smartphone has been awarded ample praise and acclaim. At around $500, consumers get a rather stellar device that isn't hampered by unnecessary additions and unwanted software. This testament is proven in the firm's continued sales figures, which across its entire product line, including assorted headphones and the Nothing Phone (1), reached one million by December 5, 2022.
In his interview with Inverse, Pei gives ample commitments on the state of US releases for the future of the startup, as well as how important software upgrades will become going into the new year. Some roadblocks have proven to make the US a bit of a difficult road to cross, as he explains is, largely due to carrier "certification and adapting some of their features into your OS." Before, Nothing didn't exactly have the manpower to make these necessities happen, but with a crew now reaching nearly 400 employees strong, Nothing is more than capable of shifting its guise towards the west.
As for the Nothing Phone 2, while the date still remains tentative, "sometime later into 2023," Pei did give some insight into what the product will feature specifically when it comes to internals. He explains that the Nothing Phone (2) as being a "premium" product, one that will be a "steup" over its predecessor, poitentially sporting a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. While the cat still isn't out of the bag just yet on overall internals or even design, it's clear that Nothing is taking great steps to ensure the US has a proper release, one that is handled with care and isn't rushed for money-generating needs.
With the Phone (2) sitting at the forefront of Nothing's 2023 plans, it also will aim to expand its stores worldwide. The firm's first brick-and-mortar foray, debuting this past December amid their Soho district of London, proved to be an instant success and may well pave the way for the brand as it continues to spark global interest with products that don't bend to the modern tech but allow consumers far more freedoms over rivals.
