Nothing, a relatively new phone company, has finally announced its new smartphone, the Phone (2).
The reveal was contained to the Nothing website, well, that and Twitter, skipping the hype that other phone brands tend to do on every channel possible, at every opportunity they can. But that’s sort of the appeal of Nothing. The company is almost nonchalant about the actual appeal of its phone to Android lovers.
Anyway, as a summary, the Nothing Phone (2) has a beefier processor, a better camera, more of Nothing’s signature blinking lights.
It’s sporting the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, the same as last year’s OnePlus 10 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S22, before the S23 went over to the Gen 2. The Gen 1 chip is powerful, but the Phone (2) won’t be quite as beefy as other companies’ recent flagships as far as processing power goes. The new phone also has an extended 4700 mAh battery capable of wireless or fast charging. The company claims it can reach 0 to 50 per cent in 20 minutes, though we’ll need full tests to see if it lasts longer than last year’s iteration.
The front camera has been upgraded to a 32 MP sensor from the Phone (1)’s 16 MP. The rear dual sensor array now includes the Sony IMX890 50 MP camera. According to Nothing, the Phone (2) can process camera data “up to 4,000 times more” than the Phone (1). The company also claimed the device has enhanced focus and 4K, 60fps video recording capability.
Though the latest Nothing flagship device retains the 6.7-inch dimensions with an OLED main screen, the famed backplate and its “glyph” lights have seen some changes. While the device is still clear plastic on its rear, the LED strips have been segmented into several lighting zones. Like the Phone (1), the lights can track how much charge you have left. In addition, though, the Phone (2)’s lights can act as a volume checker and timer. Users can also set up the phone to notify them about new messages from select contacts or apps.
Along with these notifications to the glyphs, users can also use a special Glyph Composer app to create their own Glyph ringtone with select beeps and boops that correspond to different lights. The feature sits alongside the so-called Nothing OS 2.0, an Android-based system featuring homemade home and lock screens, alongside custom widgets. Nothing promises its new operating system should be twice as fast than the Phone (1)
So how much is this thing gonna cost? Well, it ain’t cheap. The Nothing Phone (2) is priced at $1,049 for the 128GB model, $1,149 for the 256GB model, and $1,249 for 512GB (the original Nothing Phone (1) cost $749 in Australia). At this price point, it puts the Nothing Phone (2) in direct competition with the flagship phones from Apple, Samsung, and Google.
Here’s the keynote if you want to see more.
This article has been updated since it was first published.