The Nothing Phone (1) has made it recover the illusion for the launch of a mobile and this is not a good sign for the sector

Today was the big day for the youngest phone manufacturer on the technological scene: Nothing debuts, precisely, with a mobile phone, the Nothing Phone (1). After weeks of rumours, the company has managed to put us on its roller coaster of expectations. I got space in the front row.

Anyone who knows me knows that I lose technology, anything with buttons and integrated chips, I’m a fan of anything that has a screen. I remember when I finally had a salary that allowed me to indulge myself: a multitude of junk fell that ended up becoming my personal jewels. What if, mobiles have always been one of my favorite gadgets, I have been following telephony news in detail for decades. I couldn’t miss the most famous of the year: the Nothing Phone (1) has been on my personal podium since before I received the invitation.

A strategy that brought back memories

Invitation to reserve the Nothing Phone (1)

Living attached to current technology implies being filled with expectations before what is new, for all those products that aspire to be innovative and that one never knows if they will end up triumphing or they will end up as a mere speck in the history of forgotten devices. With OnePlus it was no different: I kept track of the brand before it officially launched the first mobile, the OnePlus One. Of course, I had to have it.

I was a very active member of the OnePlus community in the months leading up to the release of the first phone. I even remember that I won my first “Never Setlle” t-shirt; along with the invitation to buy the future phone. Yes, being allowed to buy something became a privilege. OnePlus played the exclusivity card and it worked out surprisingly well.

I got my OnePlus One with the invitation, that made me feel closer to the brand. In fact, OnePlus managed in 2014 to get a good part of the more “tech” community to support them, all by dint of create a product that no one could have. It is just the strategy that Nothing decided to follow, not in vain those responsible for the new brand come from that same OnePlus.

In 2014 you couldn’t get anything better for that price

I have been following Nothing since Carl Pei left OnePlus (and David Sanmartín, who accompanied him). I was surprised by the fact that they started with headphones, the Nothing Ear (1): I intuited that the purpose of the company would be take on the big boys with a smartphone. Already in the previous MWC I was in a round table with Carl Pei where he confirmed that the Nothing Phone (1) would soon arrive. And I knew it had to fall into my hands.

The Nothing Phone (1) is not for everyone. Literally

Reserve the Nothing Phone (1) after redeeming the invitation

Raising expectations, which is commonly known by the anglicism of “hype”, has its dark side: the final product may end up disappointing. While waiting to fully test the phone, I think Nothing has done quite well with the marketing resources they have: they managed to move the brand, and its future phone, very masterfully. The media have collaborated with this, of course: the Nothing Phone (1) aspired to be different.

Coldly analyzing the design of any phone, it is not too different from any other. A mobile must have a huge screen with a body as small as possible compared to the panel; without the result losing strength or hardness, lest it end up bending (and not because it is foldable).

Behind there is not much room for imagination either: there each brand must integrate a set of cameras and keep the rear face as clean as possible. Between all these limits It’s time to stand out with the little left to play.

Precisely, Nothing has known how to play with the phone’s design, its unique functionalities and with the tempo when gradually unraveling the characteristics of the Nothing Phone (1). I don’t know if that “transparent” rear with lights will show some utility in daily use, but I admit that has caught my attention (objective accomplished).

It is not a mobile with the maximum power, it seems perfect to me that a first-time brand stays on safe ground. And without stopping taking risks in construction and materials, all despite the inspiration: what I like least are those straight iPhone-style edges. We will see if they stick a lot in the day to day.

The invitations have been that wrapping of exclusivity with which Nothing went back to the best times of OnePlus: do you want to have the phone first? Well, you have to work it out. And boy, did I: I got my invitation to purchase the Nothing Phone (1). Now all that remains is to finish buying it and for it to arrive at my house.

A sector so boring that it is revitalized with some lights

The last few years have thrown excessive continuity to the mobile landscape, there is hardly any innovation, neither in hardware nor in software. It is true that the wheel cannot be reinvented since there is hardly any room to change what makes a smartphone a smartphonebut I have the impression that most Android manufacturers are content to swell their catalogs with new generations that seem to be clones of the previous ones.

Each new family of phones is slightly better than the previous one, offers a more powerful processor, maybe even has grown in storage or RAM. But nevertheless, It hardly differs from a phone a year or two old. And here there is a great paradox: when buying a phone, it is more advisable to buy one with some time on the market than a newer one; Too bad Android updates don’t help. Mobile phones with a certain age fell in price, maintain a similar power and do not differ too much from their recent brothers. There is not even a great leap in photography, one of the aspects that most enhances brands.

Yes, Nothing has been able to attract attention with the invitations, also with that aura of exclusivity that makes the Phone (1) much more striking. But what surprises me the most is that the highlight of the phone is its set of taillights. Was the mobile panorama so boring that it was enough to shine a lightbulb? Seems that if.

It has not reinvented anything, but it is not necessary either

I find it curious that we look for new things in a device that also does not leave too much room for risk. In fact, when a manufacturer includes some detail that we have not seen before the most common is to question it with the idea that it is more striking than useful, me the first. So the industry has perpetuated iterations with nothing new other than a better processor or more rear cameras. So year after year. Until risky brands arrive, like Nothing.

I think that Nothing’s bet is solid, different, fresh and very striking. The problem is that it will cost you to face the hardware comparisons: attracting attention with lights is probably not enough. Even so, I think that the Nothing Phone (1) is a great starting point: I think it will become one of the most outstanding mobiles of this 2022. At least, it will stand out in my collection: I can’t wait to get my hands on it to see if Live upholds expectations.