I'm a paid up member of the Nothing Phone (1) fan club, I use it everyday and love the unique Glyth UI design. It's like nothing else around. But as news of Nothing Phone (2) emerges, as a user, I'm wowed by how this phone's UI is being developed now more than ever.
The news that both Phone (1) and Phone (2) users will be able to be able to access a new Glyph Composer to create personalised ringtones using an exclusive sound pack, created by GRAMMY Award-winning house music supergroup is clever and inspiring. (Read our Nothing Phone (1) review to see why this smartphone design is so disruptive.)
"We’re excited to have collaborated with the Nothing team in London to launch a smartphone innovation that brings the worlds of music and tech ever closer," says Swedish House Mafia members Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso. "All three of us have been fans of Carl Pei and Nothing’s vision since the beginning, and we are proud to be the first creatives to unleash a Glyph Composer sound pack into the wild. We can’t wait to see and hear what our fans and Nothing users’ remix."
The unique aspect to Nothing Phone is the Glyph UI, which is a series of LED lights on the rear of the phone that glow and pulse in clever patterns depending on if you're receiving messages, phone calls, notifications and it even displays how much charge is left. Better still, you can tailor and customise the Glyph patterns to suit you. (Take a look at our guide to designing UI for more ideas.)
It's this aspect of customisation that is beginning to be developed further with Phone (2) and the collaboration with Swedish House Mafia. (The same Glyph Composer will also be released as an update for Phone (1) users too.) Glyph Composer will enable you to create a "sequence of sounds and corresponding lights on the back of Nothing’s smartphones," says the press release. It will be interesting how far Nothing takes this level of customisation once Nothing (2) releases.
The Phone (1) feels and looks like no other smartphone, the Glyph UI ensures it has a tactile and almost emotional connection to how the phone is used. I'm reassured that Nothing will continue this push for disruptive design with the follow-up, the Phone (2). Even before the first phone release we listed the five features of Nothing Phone that should scare Apple, and our Nothing Ear (2) review showed the brand was able to extend its design philosophy to accessories.
Some details of Nothing Phone (2) have begun to emerge recently. The new smartphone specs include a large 6.7-inch display screen and will be powered by Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC. This is a step-up from the Phone (1) that uses a Snapdragon 778G+ processor.
The official reveal of the Nothing Phone (2) takes place on July 11, 16:00 BST / 11:00 EDT 2023, which can be watched live and in full at Phone (2) event website. Ahead of the launch, expect to see good Nothing Phone (1) deals too, so keep an eye out for a bargain.
