The global launch of the Phone (2), the successor to the Phone (1), has finally happened. It features a refined glyph interface, improved specifications compared to its predecessor, and a slightly different design overall. We had the opportunity to test the Phone (2) before its release, and here are our first impressions on Nothing’s newest smartphone.
Nothing Phone (2) Price and Availability
- The Phone (2) is offered in white and dark grey. Different variants are available, including 8GB/128GB in Dark Gray for ₹44,999, 12GB/256GB for ₹49,999, and 12GB/512GB for ₹54,999 in both colours.
- Starting from July 11th at 9 PM IST until July 20th at 11:59 PM IST, customers who have purchased the pre-order pass for the Phone (2) in India can choose their preferred variant and place their order on Flipkart.
Design & Glyph Interface
The design of Phone 2’s rear has been modified and now features an updated Glyph LED lighting system. The glyph light below the top right corner has the most amount of LEDs, allowing for a more detailed display of certain new features, such as a progress bar for Uber rides, a volume bar for when the phone is face down, and a progressing timer that changes the light’s display.
Some of the features from Phone (1) have been retained, including the ability to check the charging level by gently shaking the phone, which displays the charge level on the glyph LED at the bottom center. Users can also adjust the brightness of the glyph LED lights.
Shifting away from the glyph, the phone has a glass sandwich design, giving it a premium feel when held. The sides are flat, but the back panel, which was previously completely flat in the previous model, is now slightly curved on the edges, providing a better grip. The power key sits on the right side of the phone and is easily accessible for my finger, while the volume rocker is located on the left. Additionally, the device has an IP54 rating, which means it can handle dirt and splashes without issues.
Display
On the front, the Nothing Phone (2) sports a 6.7-inch full-HD+ OLED display with adaptive 1Hz – 120Hz adaptive Refresh Rate support, HDR10+, 1600 nits peak brightness and 240Hz touch sampling rate. The panel has a centre-aligned punch-hole cutout for the camera. There’s an in-display optical fingerprint sensor and face unlock support for biometrics.
Software
Coming to the software, the Phone (2) runs on Android 13-based Nothing OS 2.0. It packs the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC with up to 12GB RAM and up to 256GB storage. The new OS version retains the same stock-Android-like look. As expected, though, Nothing has added many new features, such as lock screen widgets where you can add various shortcuts and other widgets from apps. Some new ringtones have also been added to the software.
The smartphone still includes gestures like Flip to Glyph, and it now has improved touch responsiveness for games. Additionally, the Phone (2) offers a glyph composer that allows you to create your unique ringtones, which will sync with the LED glyph lights on the back. You can also customize App labels, grid design, widget size, and colour themes to your liking.
Camera and Battery
This device comes with a dual rear camera setup that includes a 50MP f/1.9 Sony sensor as the primary camera, as well as a 50MP f/2.2 Samsung JN1 ultra-wide angle sensor. It also features a 32MP front-facing camera for taking selfies. The device is powered by a 4700mAh battery which supports fast wired charging of up to 45W, wireless charging of up to 15W, and reverse wireless charging of up to 5W.
Our first impression of the Nothing Phone (2) has been shared, but we must evaluate its performance, cameras, and battery life. In our forthcoming full review, we’ll delve further into these areas and explore the new software features. Please keep an eye out for that.
