There have been numerous reports that Nothing has got a smartphone in the works and various reports hint that the phone might get launched soon. While the information about the phone has been limited, for what seems like the first time someone has said they've seen the phone – or at least a prototype.
A report by TechCrunch says that Carl Pei was spotted showing off the prototype of Nothing’s first phone to the top executives of Qualcomm and several other industry leaders at the recently-concluded MWC 2022.
What's more, according to "a source with direct knowledge of the matter", the phone might launch next month. TechCrunch even claims to have seen a photo of a meeting Pei had with Qualcomm’s chief executive - though it's not clear whether the phone was present in this image.
The report also talks about the design of the phone, with TechCrunch, citing its unnamed sources, saying that the phone might have elements of the transparent design that the company used in its Nothing Ear 1 earbuds.
That sounds intriguing, though it wouldn't be the first such handset we've seen, as manufacturers in the past have occasionally launched 'clear' variants of their phones.
These are basically phones with a clear glass back showing off the internals. However, these variants tended to be launched in limited numbers, or be of limited appeal. So it would be interesting to see Nothing’s treatment of a phone’s back panel that hides, well, nothing.
Analysis: is there enough space for Nothing?
The smartphone industry is in a weird place. It has been experiencing a chipset crunch which has resulted in the prices of components going up, and the market also now includes Chinese players which sell phones on a razor-thin margin, which has had a knock-on effect that included brands like LG quitting the scene.
So is there really space for a new player? That's the big question around Nothing right now - not just what its first phone will be like, but whether it has a hope of success.
Talk of a transparent design is promising - this could help the handset stand out in a sea of black and white rectangles, but whether that will be enough remains to be seen. Still, if the claim of an April launch is right, we should find out soon.
