Phone 2, Nothing’s second and most premium smartphone to date has officially been launched in India at a starting price of Rs 44,999 (8GB/128GB). The Phone 2 retains the Phone 1’s signature see-through design and adds a bit more premium to overall fit and finish while bumping up the hardware to flagship class. In a sense, Nothing is in the big leagues now and the Phone 2 does look like a formidable contender for one of the best smartphones of 2023. But we’ll see.
We have the Phone 2 and have been using it for some time. Our first impressions: the Phone 2 makes a strong impression with its clean, and might we add “one-of-a-kind”, design just like the Phone 1. The hardware is stellar, but easily the most striking aspect of the Phone 1, apart from its see-through design, is its software. Aka, Nothing OS. The Phone 2 boots Nothing OS 2.0 and aspires to offer what Nothing is calling distraction-free intentional consumption. There are no unwanted apps or bloatware and the experience is mostly, stock.
Also Read | Nothing’s Phone 2 packs flagship hardware inside a familiar design; here’s everything to know about it
You get two UI options, one is default Android 13, while the other comes from the house of Nothing itself. Based on the company’s monochrome styling, it focuses on shortcuts, folders, and thoughtful personalisation right at the home screen. Nothing’s icon and typography are instantly recognisable and set it apart from virtually every other competitor, including Samsung. At the same time, the updated glyph LED system pushes you to reduce your screen time by enabling a bunch of notification customisations on the phone’s back. Now, you’d probably be wondering, who keeps their phone screen facing down. Not a lot surely, but the Phone 2 might change that. Who knows.
Also Read | Nothing Phone 2 first look: Flagship hardware meets throwback design
Anyway, while the Phone 2’s software is a big differentiator, sadly, Nothing’s long-term support commitment isn’t. The phone is guaranteed to get only 3 major OS and 4 years of security patches every two months which is respectable but not best in class. We expected more. But it is what it is.
We are working on your full review of the Phone 2 to tell you exactly how it fares in the real world against competition and whether or not the price is right for it. Nothing has launched the Phone 2 in three memory configurations: 8GB/128GB for Rs 44,999, 12GB/256GB for Rs 49,999 and 12/512GB for Rs 54,999. Be sure to stay tuned for more. For now, here’s a quick roundup of everything you need to know about Nothing’s new flagship killer in town.
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The Nothing Phone 2 has a back made of glass. It is see-through. A strip of LEDs placed strategically, called glyphs, act as a notification system for instances like phone calls and messages, battery charging status, and now even for third-party apps like Uber to track booking progress.
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The Phone 2 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip and a 4,7000mAh battery with 45W fast wired and 15W wireless charging. There is no charger in the box, only a USB Type C to Type-C cable.
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The cable aligns with Nothing’s transparent aesthetics.
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The Phone 2 has a 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display with a 1080p resolution and up to 120Hz refresh rate.
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For photography, you get a dual camera setup on the back which is a combination of a 50MP wide and another 50MP ultrawide, On the front, it has a 32MP selfie shooter.
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