The long-awaited unveiling of the Nothing Phone (1) has set the internet ablaze this week, but one journalist thinks the device's hidden weapon is something that has been lacking from smartphones for a very long time.
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Marques Brownlee, a tech YouTuber, has posted the Nothing Phone's first official hands-on video (1). The video was able to highlight the distinctive LED system that forms a significant portion of the phone's rear-facing design, even if the performance of the phone itself (as well as the cameras, exclusive overlays, etc.) is still under embargo.
Although my colleague Peter Phelps isn't a huge admirer of the aesthetic that Nothing has chosen, I find myself taken back to a period when all I wanted was a translucent Game Boy Pocket. The design itself is undeniably striking. A see-through back has always been one of my favourite design features, and when combined with the nearly space-age panelling within the phone, it makes for a winning combination in my book.
However, even if I like the new design, the phone's humorous qualities are completely located in its lighting system, not in the design itself. Numerous LED strips on the back have varied purposes depending on the work at hand.
For instance, the "Glyph Interface," as Nothing refers to it, can do a small light show that goes along with a number of ringtones. Since the days of Nokia's ear-piercing jingle, the majority of users have, of course, moved away from ringtones, but it's still a cool function to have if you want to utilise it.
You won't need to continuously check your phone to see what's new because the Glyphs may also light to let you know when a notice has shown. The LED progress bar that appears on the bottom of the phone whenever it is charging, in my opinion, is the coolest feature.
The connection might sound a little specialised, but the progress bar reminds me a lot of the visual health indications in games like Dead Space and Ghostbusters. Additionally, it's more visually appealing than a straightforward on-screen percentage.
The entire experience is much more energising than anything offered by many contemporary smartphones in the past few years. When Phones Were Fun is a YouTuber Mr Mobile series that is a simple way to connect to your childhood memories.
The time when a phone's aesthetic appeal was a major selling point is long gone, and nowadays, the sole distinguishing feature of most smartphones is the protruding camera hump on the back. The Nothing Phone (1) has unquestionably become one of the most fascinating phones of 2022 by looking directly into the past and drawing some much-needed inspiration.
