By Akriti Rana and Nimish Dubey
This was one of the most awaited phone announcements of the year. OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei made waves after stepping away from the brand in 2020 and then starting his own venture, Nothing, later that year. Nothing was revealed in 2021 with its first product, TWS, called Year(1), but there was always a feeling in tech circles that bigger things were going to come from the brand.
Shades of OnePlus, or is it nothing?
This sentiment came true when Nothing announced a program called The Truth, leaving widespread hints that it will announce a phone. At the event, Pei talked about the need to rock the phone market with an exciting device.
“How did we let this get so boring? We need to change that,” Pei said early on. “Today, all the excitement, all the possibilities around technology are gone.”
He then went on to elaborate how nothing was trying to change all of that. In the process, he first gave some details about the phone that were not supposed to come with the phone (1). They promised that it would be different from everything else on the market, and would have its own simple and fast interface, along with assured updates.
The subtle irony was that it all instilled a sense of deja vu in those of us who have been following the technology for the past decade. All this talk of change and making technology exciting again was similar to a pitch made to OnePlus, of which Pei was a co-founder, in 2013. We were told then that the new brand would make the technology more of an issue. Accessible, will use new design and materials and will come with a new interface.
Just as in the case of OnePlus, here too the emphasis was on the experience rather than the individual features. We were told that the phone (1) would run on a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor but the processor itself was not named. There was also no talk of camera megapixels, RAM, battery charging speed and other features which are a standard part of launching smartphones these days. Again, shades of early OnePlus.
The only major difference between what was proposed by OnePlus all those years ago, and what was proposed by Nothing a few days earlier, was that OnePlus played on price from the beginning (coinciding the term “flagship killer”). , Pei made no reference to a pricing policy of nothing. That said, given the extremely competitive pricing of Nothing’s first product, the Ear(1) TWS, it is likely that the phone (1) will come with a price tag that will be competitive.
Oh! That is the matter. It’s official now. I
This summer we are going to launch our first smartphone – Phone(1). I
While it’s going to be unlike anything you’ve ever seen, and I’m very excited about it, this is just the beginning of the Nothing Story. I pic.twitter.com/5CGKf3sNkl
— Carl Pei (@getpeid) 23 March 2022
Targeting Unsettled Never Settlers and Stock Android Fans
There may be a good reason for PE to choose this strategy. OnePlus has moved beyond being the “key killer” today and is now a premium phone player in its own right. It sold more devices in the premium segment in India in 2021 than Samsung. The brand is also expanding its portfolio to the more affordable mid-segment, and has tied up with Oppo.
While OnePlus’ strategy has been successful, it alienated some of its initial fan base, which feels the brand isn’t true to its “key killer” origins. The segment has been vocal about OnePlus’ rejection of recent development plans, specifically Oppo’s attempt to mix OxygenOS with ColorOS.
This is the “disappointed” segment that Pei is trying to target with his pitch for the phone (1). Their stress on a streamlined interface with regular updates addressed OnePlus’ recent pain point. It will also appeal to many users who prefer “stock” or “pure” Android, a relatively plain version of Android. While this “vanilla” version of Android is available on other devices as well, it’s either too elaborate (as on Google’s own Pixel range) or comes on devices from brands with poor update records, such as Nokia and Motorola. With Andy Rubin’s Essential Phone failing, there appears to be a place on the market for a device that appeals to Android purists who thrive on a clean interface and timely updates, rather than the typical bells and whistles , which is what most other players offer.
Taken together, stock Android fans and disillusioned OnePlus followers could well make up a decent number. It might not make Nothing a major phone player overnight, but it would certainly make it into the limelight, which would be a good start. After all, it worked for OnePlus about eight years ago. Given where the brand is today, it’s hardly surprising that nothing is following a similar path.
In just two days, more than 17,000 of you have surpassed last year’s community investment round of $35 million pre-registered. I
The line between company and community is disappearing. pic.twitter.com/mXB5img2mY
– nothing nothing) 25 March 2022
a challenging road ahead
They may have identified a potential niche in the market, but it’s nothing and the phone (1) is unlikely to be smooth sailing. OnePlus had the advantage of emerging as a price warrior at a time when flagships cost a lot. Today, pricing is no longer the competitive advantage it once was, with flagship devices available at prices that start at Rs 35,000 (iQoo 9 SE). So much so that it’s safe to assume that no matter the price tag for the phone comes next (1), it’s likely to face a fair amount of competition from several players.
There are some who are already drawing parallels between Nothing and Essential Products, Andy Rubin’s failed venture that also tried to create an independent ecosystem. Where Essentials stumbled was in terms of product delivery. The Essential Phone received positive reviews, but it had too many flaws that eroded the trust Rubin had built in the brand.
Carl Pei’s challenge is also similar. They promise a whole new world of innovation, albeit one similar to the one the One(Plus) co-founded nearly nine years ago. Some might even say that nothing really explodes from the OnePlus past, a sort of OnePlus original Redux. But given how well that brand has performed, we don’t think consumers will complain. After all, most people prefer innovative products that work and don’t cost the earth.
Whether you believe it to be a basic truth or an updated version of it, Carl Pei talks about Nothing. His team now needs to be up and running on the product front. The Year (1) TWS was off to a promising start. Phone (1) has to be good in every way, if not better. This could be all or nothing time for the man who was long ago seen as the “face” of OnePlus and this new brand.