The Nothing Phone (1) is the first smartphone from Nothing, the London company founded by Carl Pei. It was announced on July 12, 2022, and went on sale on July 21, 2022. It started at €469 in Europe and £399 in the UK. This upper mid-range phone is now discontinued, and the Phone (2) is its successor. It never had a full US launch. Nothing offered it there only through a $299 beta program in 2023.
Design and display
The defining feature is the transparent glass back. It shows internal parts and holds the Glyph Interface. These LED strips light up for calls, notifications and charging. The phone has flat aluminum sides, and it measures 159.2 x 75.8 x 8.3 mm. It weighs 193.5 g and carries an IP53 rating for dust and splash protection.
It came in two colors, White and Black. The cheapest 128 GB version was sold only in Black. The 6.55-inch OLED panel has a 2400 x 1080 resolution and an adaptive 60–120 Hz refresh rate. It supports HDR10+ and reaches a claimed peak of 1,200 nits. Gorilla Glass 5 protects the front.
Performance
The phone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+, a 6 nm chip with a top clock of 2.5 GHz. Graphics come from the Adreno 642L. Versions pair 8 GB or 12 GB of RAM with 128 GB or 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. There is no microSD slot, so storage cannot be expanded later.
Cameras
The rear has two 50 MP cameras. The main camera uses a Sony IMX766 sensor with an f/1.88 lens and optical stabilization. The ultrawide uses a Samsung JN1 sensor with an f/2.2 lens and a 114-degree view. There is no telephoto camera. The front camera has 16 MP and an f/2.45 lens. Rear video goes up to 4K at 30 fps, and front video reaches 1080p at 30 fps.
Battery and charging
The 4,500 mAh battery supports 33 W wired charging over USB-C. Nothing did not include a charger in the box, so buyers need a compatible USB PD adapter. The phone also offers 15 W Qi wireless charging and 5 W reverse wireless charging.
Software and updates
The phone launched with Android 12 and Nothing OS. Nothing promised three Android upgrades and four years of security updates, and it delivered both. The last major upgrade was Android 15. The final security update arrived in July 2026, so software support has ended.
Should you buy the Phone (1)?
The Phone (1) suits collectors and fans of its transparent design and Glyph lights. It still offers wireless charging, an OLED screen and two 50 MP cameras. However, it no longer gets security updates, and Nothing has stopped selling it. Most buyers should look at the Phone (2) or a newer Nothing model instead, since those still receive updates.
