Nothing phone (1): 5 questions we have about the device
The Nothing phone (1) is one of the most hyped and awaited smartphones right now. Even though the launch is just a few weeks away, there are some questions about the phone that remain unanswered. Ahead of the launch of the device, which kicks off on July 12 next month, here are five questions about the Nothing phone (1) that we still need answers to.
1. What does the front of the phone look like?
Nothing recently revealed the complete look of the Nothing phone (1) from the back, revealing a unique, semi-transparent white back with illuminating strips. However, none of the revealed images, leaked renders or any other sightings of the Nothing phone (1) reveal what the front of the phone looks like.
The front panel has been kept so secretive that we still have no idea if the Nothing phone (1) will feature narrow bezels or a large chin on the bottom. We still also don’t know what kind of a notch or punch-hole cutout we will see on the device.
2. Which processor will power the phone?
A lot of what the Nothing phone (1) has to offer has been hyped up Carl Pei and the rest of the Nothing team for months now. Unfortunately, one of the most important aspects of the phone, the processor, has still been kept under wraps.Best of Express PremiumPremiumPremiumPremiumPremium
Despite Nothing revealing early on that the company will be partnering with Qualcomm for the chipset of the first Nothing phone, we still don’t know which processor will be inside the Nothing phone. More importantly, we have no confirmation of whether the chip will even be a flagship Snapdragon 800-series chip or a midrange 700-series one, as many reports have suggested.
3. Will there be other colour variants except the white?
The white variant of the Nothing phone (1) was all over the web this week, but we still do not know if that will be the sole colourway of the phone. Most smartphones are introduced with multiple colour options to appeal to a larger section of users. A black variant of the Nothing ear (1), Nothing’s only other product at this point, launched months after the launch of the original white ear (1). Perhaps we could see a similar strategy with the phone (1), with more colour options launching later on.
4. Will the phone have an in-display fingerprint sensor or a side-mounted one?
Since the front of the Nothing phone (1) has not yet been revealed in any promotional material, it is difficult to determine if an under-display fingerprint scanner will make it to the Nothing phone (1). Most phones today feature a fingerprint scanner under the display or together with the power button on the right of the phone. The company has not confirmed what kind of display technology we will see on the device, so determining what kind of fingerprint sensor the phone will pack is difficult right now.
In the recently revealed design, however, we saw that the phone (1) features flat, metallic sides and buttons, the kind of buttons side-mounted fingerprint sensors are usually seen on.
5. How many years of updates will the phone get?
Carl Pei showed off the software experience of the Nothing phone (1) back in March 2022. The phone will apparently run Android 12 out of the box with a new custom skin called NothingOS. However, we still do not know what the update schedule for the phone will look like down the line.
While most Android phones various brands currently run out at two years of system and three or four years of security updates, Nothing could set itself apart offering more long-term support. But that’s a mystery right now and we will have to wait a little more to know for sure.