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Nothing announced some news yesterday at Mobile World Congress, sharing that it’d utilize a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 series processor in its upcoming Nothing Phone 2 handset. This is quite a step up from the current model, the Nothing Phone 1, which made use of a mid-range SoC. During the same announcement, Nothing CEO Carl Pei also teased that the company would be launching a new product next month.
Now, the Nothing Phone 2 arriving with beefier hardware is one thing, but what makes all of this really exciting is that the handset will actually get a proper release in the United States. This news was confirmed by Carl Pei late last month, sharing that the US market was the company’s top priority going forward. As far as when we can expect this new device, it should arrive sometime in late 2023.
The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset is Qualcomm’s flagship mobile processor this year, with improved AI features for photography, more reliable 5G connectivity, and even ray tracing to create more true-to-life reflections and shadows in games. The chip is likely to feature in many high-end Android phones this year; a modified version powers the Samsung Galaxy S23, which was launched earlier this month. Its inclusion lends the Nothing Phone 2 some flagship credibility.
In his review of the Phone 1, CNET’s Andrew Lanxon said he found it just as exciting to spend time with as he’d hoped. He loved the flashy, unique design and found it a solid performer at an affordable price. One of the downsides of the phone was simply that it wasn’t available in the US at release. The international model is now available for $299 in the US as part of a beta program, but with limited carrier support.
As far as what next month’s product launch might hold could be anyone’s guess, but there have been images floating around for quite some time of Nothing’s next earbuds, the Nothing Ear 2. As stated before, nothing has been confirmed when it comes to next month’s release, but the earbuds could make an appearance.
While nowhere near being a top contender in the smartphone space, Carl Pei has shared that the company is doing well, adding more people to the team, and even being able to shift the development of Nothing OS and make it completely in-house. Furthermore, since its launch, the company has sold a million products.
Although the company does retain some of the old marketing tactics from Pei’s previous company, OnePlus, from the results, it looks like it’s still working. The Nothing Phone 1 was breath of fresh air when it came to its design, but a party trick only works once on the same audience, so it’ll be interesting to see how Nothing evolves the design and features of its upcoming handset.
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