By Abhik Sengupta: The Nothing Phone (1) launched last year with a lot of fanfare — for all the right reasons. The smartphone segment saw the entrant of a new device boasting a clean Android experience, a good camera system, a wireless charging system, and most importantly, a distinct design with in-built LED lights on the rear. Almost a year later, we are close to the launch of Nothing Phone (2), the successor of Nothing Phone (1). While we have very little information about Nothing’s upcoming smartphone, the excitement among tech enthusiasts is palpably high as we already know it’s going to include a flagship-level chipset.
Similarly, we expect a refreshed design, as Nothing left no stone unturned to poke fun at OnePlus and Samsung following the launch of the OnePlus 11 and Galaxy S23 Ultra, respectively. There could also be some upgrades in the camera unit since there’s going to be a more powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, which is a mighty upgrade over the Snapdragon 778+ chipset on the Phone (1).
Meanwhile, here are other details we know and anticipate about the Nothing Phone (2), scheduled to launch sometime in July.
–Recently, Nothing was revealed that the Phone (2) would feature a bigger display. This size will increase by 0.15 inches, which means we can see the addition of a 6.7-inch display. It makes sense since most Android phones now include tall displays with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Phone (2) would offer the same. It is unlikely that the smartphone would feature a curved display, which appears to be a trend in mid-budget phones these days.
–A major focus would be the design. As mentioned earlier, Nothing launched as a company built to offer something different. While that holds true for most OEMs — but so far, the UK-based company is new, and we can expect it to experiment with new tech until it has a sizeable user base. The new Phone (2) will have a pill-shaped video indicator on the back. The frame will be aluminium, which was also revealed by the company recently.
–In a video, Carl Pei said that the Nothing Phone (1) offers includes a great camera system, though it faces limitations in terms of computational capabilities, which big tech companies like Samsung and Google can do very well. This year, besides new camera sensors (hopefully), the company may also want to work on the computational part to make the images and videos crispier, more vivid, and more detailed. After all, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 would allow all that. This SoC also includes an improved IPS (Image Signal Processor) to process better data.
–Nothing promises three years of Android OS updates, which is again a good practice. While we hope to see the phone ship with Android 14, we will likely get Android 13. However, this could also be a moment for the company to be the first to offer its smartphone with the latest Android operating system (more bragging rights).
-Nothing has revealed that the Phone (2) would feature a bigger battery. It means users can experience better battery life. The packaging may continue to exclude the charger. However, we still get fast wired charging as well as wireless charging support.
Of course, we are yet to see the full specifications, therefore, the pricing remains unclear. The Phone (2) could start at Rs 50,000 in India, thanks to big upgrades.
