At last, Nothing is a thing. A London-based tech company has been making noise with their first smartphone called the Nothing Phone 1 ready for launch on July 12. If the name isn't enough to pique interest, its marketing strategy may. In a world of complicated, jargon-heavy tech babble, Nothing is a minimalistic, uniquely-designed,simple-to-use mobile device.
The hype surrounding it is unreal. For a relatively new brand to generate such hysteria even before the launch of its first smartphone is quite something. Pre-orders for Nothing surpassed 100,000 within a few days of the announcement. The company sent out invitation codes to a select few, in addition to members of its private community, nudging them to be among the first to book their Nothing Phone 1.
“It’s all a brilliant marketing strategy. If you want to get people curious and eager about a big release, make it exclusive, almost unobtainable. In this regard, its Co-founder and CEO, Carl Pei, is a master marketer, an entrepreneur who thrives on building strong communities around his products (case in point OnePlus smartphone), which are largely word-of-mouth-driven. Add to the mix, ‘sudden leaks’ and ‘surprise reveals,’ and you’ve got everybody wanting more,” says Hyderabad-based independent application developer Pratham Subramanium.
One such tactic was the cryptic clue Pei posted on Twitter recently hinting at offering customers a permanent solution for their phone protection woes. A few days later, the first look of the dark grey, semi-transparent phone case appeared. “Nothing knows how to create a good mystery,” says Subramanium.
Backed by industry moguls such as the iPod inventor Tony Fadell, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, YouTuber Casey Neistat, and Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, Nothing phone is seen as a strong contender for Apple. While Apple has done its best to offer its users regular upgrades, there is nothing more to it except the stratospheric pricing for a few predictable tweaks. “Nothing, on the other hand, has a very different look and feel. It’s giving consumers something exciting to look forward to,” says Subramanium.
Not for nothing, Nothing is buzzing.
Everything about Nothing
✥ An all-white body
✥ 6.55-inch OLED screen with 120Hz dynamic refresh rate
✥ 50MP+16MP dual camera
✥ 4,500mAh battery with support for 45W wired and 15W wireless charging
✥ Wireless charging pad
✥ 900 LEDs at the back that light up at different times and ways as notifications
✥ Price: Approx. `40,000 (unofficial)
✥ The phone will be retailed through Flipkart