OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei’s latest hype brand, Nothing, has been making waves ever since its inception. The company’s first attempt at a smartphone was the transparent and illuminating Nothing Phone (1). And well, it has been a huge success, selling more than 650,000 units worldwide. But, everyone is now looking forward to its successor, eager to know what to expect from the Nothing Phone (2). Well, we might not have to wait long, as Nothing Phone (2) has been teased officially and is coming soon. Let’s look at all the details.
Like its predecessor, Phone (2) will exclusively be sold through Flipkart in India. A landing page highlighting the confirmed changes like a premium design and chipset has already been set up. So, let’s look at everything you can expect from the Nothing Phone (2) here:
Note: This article was last updated on 13th June 2023 to include the official Nothing Phone (2) release date. Previously, we added leaked renders and confirmed details for the release date, battery size, and the chipset used in the phone.
Nothing Phone (2) Release Date (Confirmed)
[UPDATE | 13th June, 6:00 PM IST] – In an official tweet, the company has confirmed that the Nothing Phone (2) will launch on 11 July 2023 globally. The event is scheduled for 4:00 PM BST (8:30 PM IST or 8:00 AM PST).
In addition to India, the device is confirmed to launch in Europe and the US at the same time. So yeah, the Nothing Phone (2) will launch globally next month.
Nothing Phone (2) Price (Speculated)
Nothing’s first smartphone was a premium mid-ranger, offering a Snapdragon 7-series chipset, wireless charging, and more for around Rs 30,000 (or 469 Euros). With a Snapdragon 8-series chipset, design and software upgrades, and possibly improved cameras, we expect the company to ramp up the pricing for sure. But currently, there are no rumors about how much of a price increase we will see.
Considering its rivals powered by last year’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, we are expecting a Rs 42,000 to Rs 45,000 starting price for the Nothing Phone (2) in India. Still, we suggest you take this expected price with a grain of salt and wait for the official release.
Nothing Phone (2) Design [Leaked Renders]
First, let’s look at the official information we have received today. The company has shared a first look at the rear panel of Nothing Phone (2). And as expected, it features a transparent panel like the Nothing Phone (1). You can see the white textured plastic covering the internals, along with the glyph light strip (not illuminated here) and the red recording indicator. Phone (2) redesigns the indicator, as it is no longer circular like its predecessor.
Other design elements of the phone are not visible in the tweet above, but we have finally received leaked renders for the Nothing Phone (2) from Smartprix in partnership with OnLeaks. According to the renders, the Phone (2) will have a slightly rounded aluminum frame, a 2.5D curved glass back and front display, and smaller bezels on the front.
The “Glyph” lights will again prove to be a standout element of this phone; complete with cool new tricks and features, thanks to the in-house software team (more on this below). Moreover, as you can see above, the glyph lights around the camera and wireless charging coil have been redesigned. Instead of a continuous LED light strip, Nothing Phone (2) now includes smaller strips, possibly for additional customization. The updated glyph light design has been confirmed by the company on June 13 (see image below).
Will people draw parallels to the iPhone with the Phone (2) too, or will the design see major changes? Only time will tell, so stay tuned for more leaks and rumors.
Nothing Phone (2) Specs & Features
One thing’s for sure, the next Nothing phone will be more powerful than its initial release. The company has already confirmed the chipset we will find under the hood.
Nothing Phone (2) Processor
[UPDATE | 18 May, 5:00 PM IST] – Putting an end to the speculation, Nothing CEO Carl Pei has confirmed that their next phone will be powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. Referring to it as a “premium tier powerhouse,” Carl further adds that apps open “twice as fast compared to Phone (1).”
Moreover, this chipset enables the company to deliver battery life, connectivity, and other improvements with the Nothing Phone (2). Pei also adds that Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1’s 18-bit ISP (Snapdragon Sigh) allows them to offer advanced camera features such as Raw HDR and 4K/60 fps recording. Well, it seems like the accidental leak (see below) was true afterall.
At MWC 2023 earlier this year, it was announced that Nothing Phone (2) will feature a flagship Snapdragon 8-series chipset. But Nothing and Qualcomm both were tight-lipped about the exact processor name. However, a Qualcomm executive accidentally let the cat out of the bag on LinkedIn.
Qualcomm’s Alex Katouzian mentioned that Nothing Phone (2) will be powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in a congratulatory post on LinkedIn. But, he quickly edited the post to remove the mention of the chipset name, essentially confirming the chipset Phone (2) will be using. Still, let’s wait and see if this actually turns out to be true. Or, could it surprise us with another 8-series chipset in the Phone (2)?
In addition, the Phone (2) will also feature up to 12GB of RAM along with a virtual RAM feature, similar to the one found on popular Xiaomi, Samsung, or Realme phones these days. It will also come with 256GB of onboard storage.
Nothing Phone (2) Battery & Charging
In a recent Forbes interview, CEO Carl Pei confirmed that Nothing Phone (2) will come equipped with a 4,700mAh battery (bigger than the 4,500mAh battery on Phone 1). The official confirmation negates this MySmartPrice report, which claimed that the phone will include a 5,000mAh battery.
Nothing Phone (2) Display & Cameras
Talking about the screen, we will see an adaptive AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate on the Nothing Phone (2). Currently, we don’t have any concrete details on the display specifications. However, a recent tweet from TechDroider suggests that Nothing Phone (2) will include a 6.7-inch FHD+ OLED panel with thinner bezels (still likely symmetrical like the Phone 1).
[UPDATE | 1st June, 3:00 PM IST] – The TechDroider report has been confirmed officially. In an official tweet, the company revealed that Nothing Phone (2) will have a 0.15-inch bigger display than its predecessor (6.55-inch), so it’s confirmed to be a 6.7-inch OLED display.
The camera setup on the phone is still a point of debate. It will be interesting to see if Nothing sticks with Phone 1’s trusty 50MP dual rear camera or switch to a triple-camera setup, possibly with a zoom lens. Share your expectations with us in the comments section. Moreover, the company has confirmed a couple of camera features, as stated above, including Raw HDR and 4K @ 60 video recording.
Nothing Phone (2) Software
One of the biggest upgrades on Phone (2) will come on the software front. After the launch of Phone (1), the London-based company set up an in-house software team, hiring engineers from OnePlus’ software team and aiming to deliver an elevated stock Android experience.
[UPDATE | 1st June, 3:00 PM IST] – It has been officially confirmed that Nothing Phone (2) will receive 3 years of Android software updates and 4 years of security patches. Phone (2) will launch with Nothing OS 2.0 based on Android 13 out of the box. It will continue to receive updates until Android 16.
We’re committed to making beautiful products that you feel proud to own.
— Nothing (@nothing) May 31, 2023
To sustain our efforts, we’ll continue to offer 3 years of Android updates and 4 years of security updates. So Phone (2) can go further with you.
One last thing, the Phone (2) is said to carry the model number AIN065. It has already made an appearance on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification website. We expect to see more leaks and feature confirmations for the Nothing Phone (2) in the coming few weeks. Until then, we got another look at the alleged specifications of the Nothing Phone (2) in a leaker’s tweet, which you can check out here.
What are your expectations from the Nothing Phone (2)? Are you holding onto your next phone purchase for now? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
Featured Image Courtesy: SmartPrix & OnLeaks
Anshuman Jain
