Nothing phones are gaining the ability to record calls without alerting the other participants.
Carl Pei, the CEO of Nothing, recently posted on X about the addition of a new recorder widget to Nothing OS, which will allow users to record phone conversations without the other person being notified as part of its feature set.
In the post, Mr. Pei stated that this was in response to numerous requests for the feature. When asked in the comments about reasons given by customers for the requests Mr. Pei stated, “Usually to protect themselves against bad players.”
Many have asked for discreet call recording on Nothing phones. This is now possible through our new recorder widget. 🎙️March 9, 2024
Previously, recording conversations on Android devices could be done through the recording option in the Google Phone app. However, this option alerts other users the call is being recorded. A few years ago it was possible to download certain apps that offered discreet recording, but Google started to crack down on those and removed many from circulation back in 2022.
This addition could help entice people towards the Nothing brand, namely those looking to protect themselves "from bad players". The Nothing Phone (2) is a handsome device with strong performance already, and now there's the Nothing Phone 2a, one of the best cheap phones around that offers a similar level of unique and premium features but at a lower price.
One important thing to note when it comes to the legality of recording in the U.S. is your state's consent laws. The majority of states function under a one-person consent law, meaning it is legal to record conversations without making the other party aware.
However, there are 11 states that function under the two-person consent ruling. This means that both parties would need to consent to the call being recorded. These states are: California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington.
The addition of a new feature like this shows that Nothing is working to meet its users' requests. Hopefully, this trend continues as Nothing expands and moves towards its future devices, showing the company's phones' potential value to customers in a crowded market.
If you do not currently have a Nothing phone but still wish to record calls then we currently have guides available for recording calls on Android, and recording calls on iPhones.
