The success of OnePlus may not be entirely thanks to Carl Pei, but the company did change dramatically (and not for the better) when he left. Pei went on to found Nothing Technology, but the firm’s first smartphone, the aptly named Nothing Phone 1, never fully launched in the US. Nothing’s next release, however, will come to the US later in 2023, and you’ll never guess what it’s called. Yes, the Nothing Phone 2.
In an interview with Inverse, Pei confirmed the Nothign Phone 2’s existence for the first time. That was something of a foregone conclusion, but now we know that it’s launching this year, and you’ll be able to buy it in the US. Technically, you could get the Nothing Phone 1 later in 2022 as part of the company’s beta program, but the device lacked many of the cellular bands used on US carriers.
The Nothing Phone 2 will be designed with the US market in mind. “We decided to make the US our No. 1 priority in terms of markets,” Pei said. Apparently, the decision to eschew the US last time around wasn’t personal. Pei says his “hands were tied,” but now the company has more resources and is able to do the legwork to make a phone for the US. Unlike most markets in the world. US carriers maintain tight control over their networks, requiring OEMs to undergo long certification processes to get access to the latest 5G connectivity.
Pei further confirmed that the company’s second Android phone will be more powerful than its first, which turned heads with its distinctive transparent design. However, it was a mid-range phone starting at just €469. The next phone will be more capable and probably more expensive, but Pei cautions it will not be a “flagship” phone, which usually suggests top-of-the-line specs and a price tag approaching (or exceeding) $1,000. The Nothing Phone 2 might be somewhere in the range currently occupied by the Google Pixel 7 and OnePlus’ latest devices.
We don’t know any specifics of the pricing or launch date — just that you’ll be able to purchase the phone in the US this year. Presumably, that means the phone will be available unlocked, but it’s not impossible that Nothing could partner with one or more carriers. OnePlus’ presence in the US exploded after it linked up with T-Mobile to release its first carrier-branded phone in 2018. Perhaps Pei will attempt to replicate that success with Nothing’s first US launch.
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