Nothing’s debut Phone 1 smartphone won’t be coming to the US, the company confirmed to PCMag. “While we’d love to bring Phone 1 to the entire community around the world, we’re focusing on home markets, including the UK and Europe,” the company said in a statement. However, it added that “a limited number of our private community investors” could get one in the US through a closed beta program.
Nothing showed off the device for the first time last week on Twitter following a tease by founder Carl Pei. The most noticeable feature is a transparent back, revealing a wireless charging coil and a mysterious pattern that lights up. The company has also promised “an open and diverse product ecosystem” and the pure Android Nothing OS.
The company further explained that “it takes a lot to launch a smartphone… from ensuring the handset is supported by the country’s cellular technologies to carrier partnerships and local regulation, and as we’re still a young brand we need to be strategic about it.” Even folks in the closed beta program are likely to have issues with coverage and a lack of support of features like voice over LTE, according to PCMag. A similar disclosure was given by Nothing when the first 100 phones went up for bid on StockX.
Still, Nothing does have North American ambitions. “We have big plans to launch a US supported smartphone in the future,” the company wrote. The Nothing Phone 1 is set to debut in London on July 12th — you can catch it via a livestream if you RSVP in advance.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.