Nothing’s transparent Phone 1 may be able to ‘control AirPods or Tesla’ when it launches

Nothing’s new phone is being introduced today, but the company is keeping quiet on details such as the camera array, price, and other specifications

(Nothing)

Nothing, the technology company run by OnePlus founder Carl Pei, will launch its new Phone 1 today.

Nothing is revealing little to its audience today - hinting at design choices and features before the phone’s true launch this summer - but from the images provided, Nothing OS looks very similar to the ‘pure Android’ philosophy that OnePlus was known for.

The Phone 1 will run on the Android operating system with its own Nothing OS layered on top, with a first preview of the launcher to come in April.

A preview of the home screen on Nothing OS (Nothing)

“We want to partner up with the leading brands of the world and help them create products, and, in the process, connect them to Nothing’s ecosystem,” Mr Pei said in an interview with Wired.

“We’re also building support for third-party products that we believe our users might need, like the AirPods Pro or a Tesla, so then they’re able to control parts of the Tesla through Nothing OS.”

Other possible features include an always-on OLED display, a transparent design language similar to the headphones that it released, and white LED strips that may light up depending on who is testing or calling.

This is a similar feature to the Horizon Light notification feature in the OnePlus 7 Pro, which lit up on the sides when users received an alert.

One new feature the phone has is a built-in sound recorder app with a tape-deck style controller that rewinds clips when users turn it; it also has a virtual motorised dial that lets users “remix” audio when it is played back.

Other important details, including the phone’s specifications, camera array, battery life, and price will be revealed by the company at a later date.

(Nothing)

The Nothing Phone 1 comes after the launch of its Ear 1 headphones - a transparent pair of £99 headphones that Nothing said would motivate buyers who had lost interest in “boring” consumer technology, according to Mr Pei.

This is the reason for its see-through aesthetic and penchant for ‘80s nostalgia, although with only one product it remains unclear whether young people will necessarily seek a style that they never experienced in the wake of clean-cut technology like the iPhone.

The Phone 1 also comes after Nothing purchased Essential in 2021, the phone start-up from Andy Rubin that shuttered after allegations of sexual misconduct. It is unclear whether any of Essential’s technology - such as pogo pin connectors for a modulated experience - will be used in Nothing’s future devices.

Mr Pei had previously been captured seemingly showed Qualcomm’s Cristiano Amon the device at Mobile World Congress.