Chinese smartphone brand OnePlus with new hudset

Carl Pei, co-founder of Chinese smartphone manufacturer OnePlus, is back with a new device — only this time it’s with a different business, Nothing. Pei’s oddly titled start-up formally unveiled its first smartphone on Tuesday, following months of hints and teasers about the device’s design.

Nothing, based in London, was founded by Pei in 2020. The company released its first product, a pair of wireless earphones called Ear 1, last summer and has since sold 560,000 copies. Phone 1 appears to be identical to Apple’s latest iPhones.

Another peculiar feature of the phone is that it physically lights up when you receive a call or app notification. When you receive a call, the device is outfitted with 900 miniature LED lights that flash intermittently in tandem with a variety of robotic-sounding ringtones.

There’s also a “Flip to Glyph” option that mutes the phone when you turn it face down, displaying only blinking lights when you receive a call or notification.

Apart from a few design quirks and features, the Phone 1 doesn’t differ significantly from most typical mid-range smartphones.

The device’s most enticing feature is its low pricing. Phone 1 begins at £399 ($473) for a basic model with 128GB of internal memory, making it less expensive than Apple and Samsung’s most recent flagship phones.

Rather than aiming to disrupt the smartphone industry with folding displays or 5G, Pei is banking on a strategy he implemented at OnePlus: creating buzz through unconventional marketing and sales strategies. The market is facing several challenges, including rising living costs and a global component shortage.

Nonetheless, the company has some noteworthy investors on its side. To date, the company has raised a total of $150 million from investors such as iPod founder Tony Fadell and GV, Alphabet’s venture arm.