Nothing Phone (1)

A head-turning design and clean Android install make for an attractive phone, but battery life could be better

The Phone 1 (let's abandon the awkward brackets early the this is the first smartphone from the London-based startup, with a unique design that aims to be both fun and practical.

The handset comes in a simple choice of black and white finishes, and, from the front at least, bears an immediate resemblance to the iPhone 13 Pro Max (see issue 327, p49). While its 6.6in screen is a fraction smaller, the straight-sided metal frame, rounded corners, flat front and back, and dual rear camera placement are almost identical to Apple's flagship.

One difference, of course, is the software platform: rather than iOS, the Nothing Phone 1 runs a custom version of Android 12. And the price is much less of a stretch, starting at £399 for the Phone 1 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage and going up to £499 for the maximum 12GB and 256GB.

Another conspicuous difference is that the back of the Phone 1 is totally transparent. It's a bold design decision and it works: when you turn the phone in your hand, shifting specular highlights and shadows appear over and under the layers of differently textured components and connectors.

It's fascinating to look at, and the Gorilla Glass 5 covering preserves the effect by resisting fingerprints.