"Apple and Samsung, Are You Watching?"... The Transparent Phone Returns Revealing Its Inner Workings

Previous model Phone (1), Noted for Unique Design
First Product Achieves Billions in Sales... Investment Attraction Also Progressing Smoothly

The smartphone from the UK electronics startup 'Nothing,' known for its transparent design and distinctive 'Glyph' LED, is set to make a comeback. Both the specifications and price are expected to increase significantly compared to the previous model.

On the 28th (local time), the US economic media Forbes reported that Nothing's new product, the 'Phone (2),' is scheduled to be released on the 11th. This product is Nothing's flagship smartphone following the Phone (1) launched last year.

Additionally, Nothing has succeeded in raising an additional investment of about $100 million (approximately 130.9 billion KRW). Well-known venture capital firms such as Highland Europe and Google Ventures reportedly participated in this funding round. With this, Nothing's total cumulative investment amount approaches $250 million (approximately 327.5 billion KRW).

Over 1 Million Units Sold Within 2 Years of Founding Due to Unique Design

Nothing's first smartphone product Phone (1) [Image source=Nothing]

Nothing's first-generation smartphone, the Phone (1), was a typical 'mid-range phone' priced at 660,000 KRW (128GB) and 770,000 KRW (256GB) in the domestic market. Equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ chipset, its performance was considered a step below industry leaders like Apple and Samsung.

Instead, Nothing competed with a unique design never seen in existing smartphones. The transparent design, which looks as if the inside is fully visible, and the so-called 'Glyph Face' on the back of the phone made up of 900 connected LEDs, captured consumers' attention. Along with this, a considerable level of software optimization also received positive reviews from users.

According to Forbes, Nothing has sold more than 800,000 units of the Phone (1) so far, and its wireless earbuds, the Ear (1), have sold over 500,000 units. Last year's revenue exceeded $200 million (approximately 261.8 billion KRW). This is a remarkable achievement accomplished just two years after its founding in 2020.

The Phone (2) is expected to boast far superior performance in every aspect compared to its predecessor. It is equipped with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, and the battery capacity has also been significantly increased. Most importantly, over the past year, many veteran programmers have been recruited to greatly enhance the Android-based proprietary OS, 'Nothing OS.'

The retail price has not yet been disclosed, but considering the overall performance improvements, it is expected to be closer to a premium smartphone rather than the mid-range phone that the previous model was.

A Startup Led by Industry Veteran Carl Pei

Silhouette presumed to be the glyph design of Nothing Phone (2). [Image source=Nothing]

Nothing is a smartphone manufacturer founded in 2020 in London, UK, by Carl Pei, a Chinese-Swedish tech entrepreneur. While most core business activities such as product research and design, testing, and marketing are conducted at the headquarters, manufacturing itself takes place in factories in China and India. This business model is similar to Apple's.

Pei is a tech industry veteran who successfully launched the smartphone brand OnePlus (now acquired by China's Oppo). However, he reportedly founded Nothing because he felt bored with the existing smartphone market, which was converging toward identical designs and similar functions.

In fact, Nothing's motto emphasized by Pei is "Let's make tech fun again."

The Phone (2) will strengthen the 'Glyph Face' feature, which was also notable in the previous model, to further differentiate it from other products. Collaborating with the world-renowned music producers 'Swedish House Mafia,' the sound effects of the Glyph Face have been improved, and various customization options are supported.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.