‘Phone 2a is all about scaling the brand’: Nothing co-founder on latest smartphone launch

For Phone (2a), Nothing prioritises user experience over specs, opting for a unique transparent design to target a wider audience in India's tech-savvy market.

Image from The100 drop event held in Bengaluru (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)

“Hardware design, uniqueness, a flagship-level software experience, and getting the core functionalities right are the three major aspects that the brand considered while creating the Phone (2a),” said Akis Evangelidis, the co-founder of the London-based tech firm Nothing, during the company’s latest THE100 Drops event in Bengaluru last week.

Nothing co-founder Akis Evangelidis (Image credit: LinkedIn)

Evangelidis emphasised that the Phone (2a) (review) is less about specifications and more about the overall experience. He stated, “The Phone (2a) is all about scaling the brand.”

“From a demographic standpoint, India knows its stuff when it comes to tech, and everyone is super switched on. The tech enthusiast segment is between 30 to 40 per cent in India, while in Europe, it is just three to four per cent,” he told indianexpress.com.

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Evangelidis elaborated on the unique design ethos of Nothing, particularly highlighting the transparent design and the glyph interface. “As Nothing smartphones feature a transparent design with visible internals, including the Glyph interface and visible components, it helps the company build brand equity, and it also makes it difficult to copy,” he explained.

He referred to the decision to use polycarbonate material on the Nothing Phone (2a) as “interesting,” citing its “softness and warmth,” allowing the brand more flexibility compared to materials like glass and aluminum used in previous generation models.

Customers waiting to purchase the latest Phone (2a) in Bengaluru (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)

The Phone (2a) is positioned as a more affordable smartphone compared to the brand’s previous models. It offers the same level of software support, with three years of OS updates and four years of security updates, similar to their flagship model Phone (2a). The device also introduces AI features, such as a wallpaper generator, along with 12 months of complimentary subscription to Perplexity AI.

Nothing has plans to open exclusive service centres in Delhi and Mumbai soon, and the company recently opened its first exclusive service centre in Bengaluru.

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