Nothing Phone's Sales Are Certainly Something

In 2020, former OnePlus chief Carl Pei left the company he co-founded to create a new technology company called "Nothing." Following a much-publicized fundraiser for the new company, Nothing began work on its first product offering. While everyone assumed that Nothing's first hardware product would be a smartphone, the company surprised everyone in July 2021 when it launched wireless earbuds called the Nothing Ear 1.

While Ear 1 was well-received by the audience, it did not exactly set the sales charts on fire. The product was notable, however, for its unique take on design. The Ear 1's distinctive look was defined by transparent plastic that showcased its exquisite internal circuitry. Nothing also extended this design treatment to Ear 1's charging case.

In early 2022, after it became increasingly clear that Nothing's second product launch would be a smartphone, the expectation was that the company would deliver a unique-looking handset running Android. When Nothing eventually launched the product — the Nothing Phone (1) — in July 2022, it largely did meet these lofty expectations. Like the Ear 1, the Nothing Phone (1) was noted for its unique transparent design and the LED-powered Glyph illumination interface on its rear panel.

Given it's been less than three months since the Phone (1) arrived on the scene, it's a bit early to gauge its success. However, if we are to believe recent claims by Nothing, the Phone (1) appears to have garnered a sizable fanbase in India — one of the most competitive smartphone markets in the world today.

In a recent GSMArena report, a senior Nothing official confirmed that they were able to sell more than 100,000 units of the Nothing Phone (1) in India in just 20 days. While the figure of 100,000 units might look unimpressive for people used to hearing shipments figures in the millions for brands like Apple and Samsung, the fact that Nothing reached this milestone in a little over two weeks is commendable.

What makes Nothing's feat even more impressive is the fact that these sales figures are for India alone — a market that is considered very competitive and tough to crack. Nothing also claims that the Phone (1) became the most popular smartphone in its price segment on Flipkart — an Indian e-commerce platform where the device is exclusively sold in the country. The company also claimed that the brand witnessed a "strong reception" from consumers in India, with more than 10 million people signing up for the phone's launch notification on Flipkart. Whether these 10 million registrations end up becoming paying customers is something that is yet to be seen.

While the initial sales figures for the Nothing Phone (1) do look promising, it is still too early to judge how well the product has been received worldwide. Nothing has yet to share data surrounding the global shipment figures for the Phone (1), or further details on when they'll be bringing featured products to the United States.