I am going hands-on with Nothing Telephone (2), ought to Apple be involved? By Ian Dean printed 12 July 23 Nothing Telephone 2’s minimalist design might rival Apple.

2 months ago 4 min read

Holding a Nothing Telephone (2) feels fairly not like some other smartphone. It’s skinny, gentle and has a curved, pillowed again; the distinctive Glyph lighting and haptics that made Nothing Telephone (1) are again however present extra promise. The design ambition of the Nothing model might discover its voice with the Nothing Telephone (2), and even perhaps rival Apple.

The Nothing model was based by CEO Carl Pei as a disruptor, with the objective of ‘eradicating the obstacles between folks and know-how’. I see this within the design of the Nothing Telephone (2), which is gentle to carry, created from skinny textured recycled aluminium and curved glass. It’s weightless and stylish, there’s an artistry to the delicate design that impresses.

Can it rival Apple? It is clearly an enormous as however after enjoying round with a Nothing Telephone (2) I can see many individuals who love good design transferring throughout to Android. (For those who do need an Apple, we’re monitoring the most recent Amazon Prime Apple offers.)

(Picture credit score: Future / Nothing)

Turning on the Nothing Telephone (2) and the model’s objective of seamless know-how turns into extra obvious. The revolutionary Glyph system has been upgraded; the telephone’s rear LED gentle cluster pulses and glows relying on who’s messaging, calling or contacting you. I already coated how Nothing Telephone (2)’s UI design and Glyph Composer has been improved over the Nothing Telephone (1) by enabling you to customize your personal ringtones, however this now extends additional to creating bespoke gentle and sound sequences to your contacts and apps. (New audio packs will launch via the yr with large title artists, too.)

One fascinating new characteristic is the Glyph timer. A small gentle bar within the Glyph cluster that easily ticks away over time, which is sweet, however it’s the applying of this with third-party apps that demonstrates how Nothing Telephone (2) might actually change how we work together with this smartphones.

My hands-on expertise has Uber pre-installed, and the LED timer easily ticks over as the motive force will get nearer. It’s one other approach Nothing is placing model id into observe because the urge to maintain grabbing the telephone to verify on updates is gone, I can see it while not having to fumble via apps and choices. I’m informed Nothing will open the Glyph system to extra third-party apps over time.

Flipping the Nothing Telephone (2) over and the identical therapy to UI and design continues. The brand new Nothing OS 2.0 turns every little thing monochrome. We’re used to being bombarded with vibrant icons and app logos when utilizing a smartphone, and Nothing Telephone (2) is a very totally different. The concept is it reduces distractions and creates a clear minimalist UI that removes the frenzy of recent telephone residence screens.

Nothing Phone 2 hands-on

(Picture credit score: Future / Nothing)

Nothing is bringing a way of mindfulness to its design and the way we use smartphones, and I received’t lie, it takes a while to get used to. At first I missed the litter of vibrant app logos however over time I’ve develop into adjusted to the brand new, less complicated approach of accessing this telephone.

I significantly love the brand new residence display screen design that lets you absolutely alter the format of apps, and it’s attainable to coral them into small blocks so you’ll be able to separate how you utilize the telephone – one block for work and one for residence life. You’ll be able to even divide up your Gmail account between clusters. There is a clear function to the design strategy of Nothing, trying behind the eye-catching visuals it is actually about making life simpler.

Nothing Telephone (2) doubles down on using the dot matrix, pixel artwork type for customized app widgets, font and icons. My climate app has a little bit cloud created from dots, for instance. Holding my finger on the Nothing Telephone (2) display screen accesses the customisation choices the place I can alter these icons. I can customise the grid design, widget dimension, and color themes; eradicating app names goes a step additional to creating a real minimalist smartphone for the lots.

Nothing Phone 2 hands-on

(Picture credit score: Future / Nothing)

It might be lazy to think about the Nothing Telephone (2) within the context of the ‘dumb telephones’ development, easy smartphones with paired again use, as a result of this new cellular packs in all the thrills you’d want. It’s powered by the most recent Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Cellular Platform, includes a 50MP twin rear digicam and a crisp 6.7-inch OLED show with LTPO. Nothing Telephone (2) is a sensible telephone that locations design on the coronary heart of its philosophy and is now matched with the most recent Android tech.

Whereas Nothing Telephone (1) felt like a piece in progress, a design concept not absolutely fleshed out, the brand new Nothing Telephone (2) has the facility and capabilities to compete. Nothing isn’t content material with stuffing its new telephone with the most recent CPU/GPU and digicam tech, it’s put as a lot, if no more, thought into the design, and the way the Nothing Telephone (2) is used. Introducing mindfulness right into a smartphone’s UI design when each different model is crowding its telephone screens is a daring assertion. So sure, design lovers, you lastly have an Apple various to cherish.

Nothing Telephone (2) will begin from £579 for the 8GB / 128GB mannequin all the best way as much as the £699 12GB/512GB variant. It goes on sale 13 July, however pre-orders are open now from the Nothing web site.