Nothing Phone 2 will launch in the US later this year

Nothing’s Carl Pei has confirmed that the upcoming Telephone 2 will launch within the US later this 12 months. The CEO and co-founder described the 2023 flagship as “larger high quality” than the Nothing Telephone 1, which Engadget noticed as an “spectacular debut” in our review.

Pei dropped a number of items in an an interview with Reverse. First, he says the Ear 1 headphones’ US launch was a barometer for US demand. “We’re actually excited in regards to the US market as a result of it is a huge nation,” Pei stated. “If you happen to take a look at our audio cubicles, a couple of third come from the US. And by not launching our cellphone within the US, we’re perhaps leaving a 3rd of the quantity on the desk.” Pei describes the U.S. launch of the Telephone 2 as Nothing’s high precedence this 12 months.

Pei suggests declining smartphone sales signifies that the US market is ripe for innovation. “From a enterprise standpoint, [Apple and Samsung] should not go too area of interest and take a look at one thing fully completely different as a result of they could alienate present customers. That is the place smaller corporations like us can are available and attempt to do one thing completely different. It isn’t that we’re smarter or that they can not, it simply does not make sense for them to do it.” Nevertheless, whereas stagnation could play a job, the most important causes for the nosedive have been most likely supply chain issuesinflation and an unpredictable economic system.

Steve Jennings by way of Getty Photos

Pei says soiled tape was the principle purpose Nothing did not launch the Phone 1 in the USA. US carriers require Android producers to carry out varied customizations and pre-installed apps, which takes important sources. However the firm’s fast progress and confirmed capability to drive quantity gave it leverage. “While you make a smartphone for the US, it’s important to work with the carriers on certification and adapting a few of their options to your OS,” he stated. “We did not have the sources for that earlier than, and now we do,” Pei provides, including that Nothing has grown from 200 staff in 2021 to 400 in the present day.

Whereas Pei is not spilling many secrets and techniques in regards to the Telephone 2, he does trace at a extra superior design than its predecessor. “We’re creating a smartphone that is extra premium than the Nothing Telephone 1, and software program will probably be a giant focus space for us.” Nevertheless, he emphasizes that the Telephone 1 was additionally a flagship cell phone. “Cellular chipsets have actually improved over the past seven to 9 years. That is why I wish to keep away from calling the Telephone 2 a flagship as a result of that might imply the Telephone 1 wasn’t a flagship. Inside our personal portfolio of smartphones, the Telephone 1 was very flagship by way of the quantity of care we put into the product. That is why I used the phrase ‘premium’ [to describe the Phone 2] as a substitute, which suggests it is a step up in high quality, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a flagship similar to the Telephone 1.”