Nothing Phone (1) and Nothing Ear (1) unboxing: my first impressions

The hype smartphone of the year is here: the Nothing Phone (1). I’m also unboxing the Nothing Ear (1), which have been on the market a bit longer. I bought both devices myself. This is a first impressions piece, and the detailed review will follow.

Packaging and what is in the box

The packaging is flat, simple and eco-friendly. That already tells you there’s no charging adapter included. It’s opened with a pull strip. I think it’s a pity that you can’t close it again afterward. The phone isn’t presented as nicely as with an iPhone or Samsung, where you see the device right away when you lift the lid.

In the box you’ll find:

• the phone
• a transparent SIM tool, which I find quite extraordinary and which gets a place of honor
• a USB-C to USB-C cable, so you need a power adapter with USB-C
• some manageable paperwork

A high-quality-looking screen protector is already applied from the factory. Let’s see how long it lasts.

Specs

	Nothing Phone (1)
Display	6.55-inch flexible OLED, Corning Gorilla Glass, 120 Hz adaptive
Brightness	up to 1,200 nits
Dimensions	159 x 75 x 8.3 mm
Weight	193.5 g
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 778 Plus
Battery	4,500 mAh, reverse wireless charging
Main camera	50 megapixel wide-angle, video in 4K at 60 FPS

The first thing I noticed positively was the low weight. It is mainly due to the aluminum frame, which according to the manufacturer is made of 100% recycled material, as are 50% of the plastic components. According to Nothing, the device is fully carbon neutral. In size it is almost one to one comparable with the iPhone 13 Pro Max, but much lighter and a bit narrower.

The transparent back and the Glyph Interface

One of the highlights is the completely transparent back with a futuristic look. It has LEDs built in, and Nothing calls the whole thing the Glyph Interface. They light up in different rhythms for different ringtones, while charging and during reverse wireless charging. It reminds me of the days when Android smartphones and my beloved BlackBerrys had an LED, and you could tell who was calling by its color.

You’re supposed to put the device down with the display facing down, in a meeting for example. From the light pattern you can then tell who or what is being reported. Anyone who asks whether you need that has never sat at a full conference table when five people found out that Mom or Honey was calling. I give it two thumbs up for that. The Glyph Interface can also be used as a subtle, mobile ring light for the camera.

Software

Android 12 runs from the factory. Nothing OS changes the look only minimally, for example with its own font, which I already find very cool. Hardly any apps are preinstalled. Nothing seems open to other ecosystems but is working on one of its own. Tesla owners are supposed to be able to open the door or start the air conditioning, for example. If you don’t have a Tesla, you’re out of luck here.

Nothing Ear (1)

The Ear (1) comes in white and black. I chose white because it goes well with the white-silver Phone (1). Here, too, there is a cardboard strip to pull off, with a sleek silver box underneath. In the box are silicone tips in different sizes, a small charging cable (USB-C to USB) and the earbuds in the transparent design, the case as well.

The Ear (1) have active noise cancellation and a transparency mode. I’m testing both together with the Phone (1).

First impression

I really like Nothing’s transparent design. Whether the Phone (1) is really the absolute must-have of the year, without which nobody in the tech world can live anymore, as was suggested beforehand, will become clear in the review.