The first-generation Nothing Phone (1) launched with not too much fanfare. But it did attract a lot of attention with its bold transparent design and all the LEDs that lights the back of the device up like nothing we have ever seen before. The LED lights and the different combinations you can get with the LEDs can be used as notification indicators for different apps. In regular devices with LEDs,
The Nothing Phone (1) did not pack hardware that is worth shouting about though. It made and sold squarely in the mid-range smartphone segment category. Still, the mid-range smartphone segment is currently the most competitive segment of the industry, even more so than the flagship segment. Innovation in the segment does not come in the form of powerful hardware or Megapixel on cameras. Innovation in this market is offering the more creative solution to common problems, offering flagship smartphone experiences, while ensuring that the device itself is still affordable and accessible to general users. That was the Nothing Phone tough, an innovative mid-range offering that ticks all of the boxes of a smartphone and even more with its unique approach to design. The Nothing Phone (2) that just launched continues that design philosophy.
The Nothing Phone (2) follows almost the same recipe that made the first Nothing Phone a great success. It has innovative transparent design, and an updated hardware that is still no slouch in anyway you look at it. Everything is better than before though on the new Phone (2).
For starters, you get a flagship class Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 system on a chip (SoC) that is still a relevant chipset today, even with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Paired up with a 12GB RAM and up to 512GB of storage, you are getting flagship levels of performance. All that keeps the Nothing OS 2.0 based on Android 13 running smoothly on the 6.7-inch OLED LTPO display boasting up to 120hz in refresh rate. They also say that the new interface is twice faster to start up than the older interface on the older device.
Out the back is a dual camera set up that offers 50-Megapixel photos on both ends. Of course, one is a regular wide camera offering 24mm in focal length, while the other is an Ultra-Wide shooter that should offer you more creative freedom when the photography bug hits you. Out the front is a 32-Megapixel shooter for clearer selfies or better-looking video calls. With the new interface, the camera also gets a few extra features like Advanced HDR and Motion Capture 2.0. The new 50-Megapixel main shooter also offers an advanced 18-bit Image Signal Processor that allows the Nothing Phone (2) to process up to 4,000 times more data than the first-generation Nothing Phone offering better accuracy in both photos and videos. Its combined Electronic (EIS) and Optical (OIS) image stabilizers allows you to record smooth 4K videos at 60fps.
Underneath the transparent body is a large 4,700 mAh battery that offers an entire day of battery life or more depending on your use case. When you do run out, charging it to 50% takes just 20 minutes. You can even charge it wirelessly if you want to.
The unique aspect of the Nothing Phone (2) is still the iconic Glyph Interface inherited from the first Nothing Phone. They have improved the Glyph Interface for the second-generation Nothing flagship smartphone though. There are more LED segments than before, allowing better customizability and even more options for users. It can also work as a countdown timer for anything from rides via a hailing service, or delivery progress. Of course, that also means that the Glyph Interface now works as a timer too. You can even check your smartphone’s volume just via the LEDs out the back. There is a new algorithm called the Essential Glyph Notifications where you can still receive notifications from select apps or even contacts. The top-right LED segment will be kept on until you address the notifications or calls. There is also something called the Glyph Composer now where you can personalize the smartphone experience by creating your own personalized Glyph Ringtones.
Availability and Price
The Nothing Phone (2) will be available in Malaysia 22nd of July 2023 onward from Nothing’s official online stores on Shopee and Lazada, along with Nothing’s authorized retailers across the nation. You can choose between two colours, however the most affordable 8GB + 128GB option is only available in black colour option. For the White colour option, you only get to choose between a 12GB + 256GB offering or a 12GB + 512GB variant. There are no mentions of its official pricing in Malaysia just yet. It will be available in select markets 17th of July 2023 onward forwith prices starting from US$ 599 (MYR 2,786*). Based on that, you can expect the Nothing Phone (2) to be priced north of MYR 2,500 onward. More on the Nothing Phone (2) can be found on their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.65 as of 12/07/2023 on xe.com