Brace yourself for the Nothing Phone (2) to cost a lot more than expected when it launches in a few weeks' time. A fact that may have been backed up by one of Nothing's founders.
French tech site Dealabs posted that the standard 256GB storage Phone (2) would sell for €729 (roughly $800) in France, or €849 (roughly $921) for a higher storage model (likely 512GB). Twitter user Alvin posted this story to Twitter, where Carl Pei, Nothing's MD and founder, unexpectedly responded.
Who leaked this? 😡 https://t.co/ww15dFzCMgJune 22, 2023
Pei's comment seemingly endorses this leak. Equally, he could be just trying to make a joke, similar to how he's responded in the past to unofficial renders of the new Nothing phone, or even attempting to mislead followers so he can have the last laugh when announcing the official details at the launch event next month.
A flagship, not a flagship-killer
Even without Pei getting involved, these claimed prices are startling. The original Phone (1) sold for between €469 and €549 (roughly $500 - $600), almost half of the Phone (2)'s alleged price. The rumored Phone (2) pricetags do apparently include double the storage as well, but now means it's not a cheaper flagship-killer like the Phone (1) was, but a direct competitor for great premium phones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 or the Google Pixel 7.
Fortunately, we're expecting more upgrades on the Nothing Phone (2) than just extra space for your apps and photos. Official teasers from Nothing (via Forbes) have revealed the Phone (2) will get a Snapdragon 8-series chipset (specifically the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 from last year), instead of the lower-powered Snapdragon 778G that powered the Phone (1). The new model is also in line for a 4,700 mAh battery, which is a little larger than the Phone (1)'s 4,500 mAh cell.
Perhaps most importantly of all, the Nothing Phone (2) will be sold in the United States. The Phone (1) never made it to the U.S. due to Nothing's launch priorities, so it's good to see this sorted for the company's second try at a smartphone.
Nothing will launch the Phone (2) on July 11, which means we don't have to wait long to see if there's any truth to this pricing rumor, and if its upgraded features can handle being compared to proper flagship phones.
