Welcome to the first edition of the Nothing Newsletter.
This monthly digest is your go-to source for all the latest happenings at Nothing. Expect to find exclusive interviews, insights into our operations, behind-the-scenes content, and much more.
This year has already been packed with activity. We have seen significant year-on-year growth, particularly in India, where we were the fastest growing brand in H1 2024 due to the launch of Phone (2a) and CMF Phone 1. We’re proud to share this was a +567% year-on-year growth, according to the India Smartphone Market Analysis for Q2 2024.
CMF by Nothing: New Devices & a Community 3D Printing Contest
In early July, we introduced three new products under the CMF by Nothing sub-brand: Watch Pro 2, Buds Pro 2, and CMF’s first smartphone, CMF Phone 1. The launch was celebrated globally, with the products being unveiled during the latest Community Quarterly Update. In the video, Co-Founder @Akis sat with @DmitryNovikov, one of our community members, to reveal the new devices with a hands-on review.
Featuring a replaceable back cover and a customisable Accessory Point Cover, the CMF Phone 1 has resonated with the creatives and designers in our community. Additionally, 3D Printer manufacturer Bambu Lab launched a design contest on MakerWorld. The contest has now closed, and the winners have been announced, with over 600 entries, showcasing impressive and creative ways of utilising the phone’s modularity through 3D printing.
BuildyBryce - Brick Case for CMF Phone 1
3D KIMBA - CMF RIG: Magnetic Phone Cage for Video Creators
guysread - Fly Swatter Accessory
The New Phone (2a) Plus, and an Unconventional Widget
Shortly after the CMF by Nothing launches, we announced Phone (2a) Plus, which takes one of our most popular devices and amplifies three key areas: performance, camera and design. Powered by a world-exclusive processor, the MediaTek 7350 Pro 5G, for an even smoother and faster user experience. Additionally, Phone (2a) Plus features a new 50 MP front camera sensor, and comes in new metallic colourways to reflect superior specifications.
“Following the success of Phone (2a), which was a breath of fresh air in its market segment and became our best-selling smartphone, we’re thrilled to introduce Phone (2a) Plus. With Phone (3) launching in 2025, Phone (2a) Plus is for those who are excited about Phone (2a) but are seeking even higher performance,” said Carl Pei, CEO of Nothing.
The new model is already available in India, the US via the Beta Program, and will be reaching more countries soon.
We also recently introduced the News Reporter Widget. A daily digest that leverages AI technology to aggregate news in a simple and intuitive format. What’s special about it? The news is read aloud by our CFO Tim Holbrow. As Tim recites in the opening of the news brief: “Welcome to Nothing News, where the only thing we take seriously is not taking anything seriously.”
The widget is available on all Nothing and CMF by Nothing smartphones through the Nothing Widgets app in the Google Play Store.
The Phone (2a) Community Edition Project is Progressing at Full Speed
The Community Edition Project has been live since March this year. We set our community the challenge of designing the ultimate version of Phone (2a): redesigning the hardware, creating a suite of wallpapers, a new packaging design, and finally, the creative marketing campaign.
All four stages of the competition are now complete, and we’re excited to see our team working directly with each stage winner to finalise their designs ready for sale later in the year. Prototypes of the phone itself have been made; the wallpapers have been developed; the packaging is currently in production, and we will soon kick off work on the marketing campaign following the announcement of Sonya as our winner. You can read more about the project so far, and view all the winning concepts here!
Phone (2a) Special Edition in Tokyo & Config 2024
To celebrate the launch of Phone (2a) Special Edition in Japan, the team hosted a two-day launch event in Harajuku, Tokyo. Highlights included insightful discussions on “Beloved Technology and Product Design” featuring special guest Naoto Fukasawa, Nothing’s CEO Carl Pei, and moderator Kichiro Kurozumi, Nothing’s General Manager for Japan.
Community members from Japan, along with Astrid and Kenta, the winners of the Community Edition Project Stage 1: Hardware Design, attended the event to listen and be inspired by discussions on the future of product design and technology. Additionally, a limited number of the Phone (2a) Special Edition were sold at the event, giving core fans of the brand the opportunity to get their hands on the new, fresh-looking device.
And, at the recent Config 2024 conference, teenage engineering founder and Nothing partner Jesper Kouthoofd revealed the unconventional first idea for the Nothing logo, and the inspiration behind our first smartphone, the iconic Phone (1).
The Q2 Board Meeting Update with our Community Board Observer
@RohitPakalapati, this year’s elected Community Board Observer, recently shared key updates from the Q2 Board Meeting. He highlighted current initiatives, community interest in Nothing OS 3.0 and Phone (3), and addressed the community’s issues, assuring that the team is working on solutions. You can read Rohit’s full post-meeting report here.
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That’s everything for this edition of the Nothing Newsletter. We hope you enjoyed reading - let us know your favourite news piece below! ⬇️
