Nothing Phone (1)’s unique glyph feature could be its selling point

The smartphone market is incredibly saturated at this point and we imagine that apart from price, it would be hard for new smartphone makers to enter the market. But it seems that Nothing could potentially have what it takes to make a splash, at least based on this hands-on video we’ve seen.

In a hands-on video by popular tech YouTuber MKBHD, he managed to get his hands on the upcoming Nothing Phone (1) and shows off one of the handset’s more unique features – the transparent back design with built-in LEDs that the company is calling “glyphs”.

Now, from earlier photos we know that the back of the phone does light up, but it seems that this isn’t just for looks or novelty, but it’s part of a grander design. These LEDs are part of Nothing’s “glyph” interface that users can actually customize. This means that users can set it so that it can be customized to different contacts so you know who’s calling.

It can also be used to show when the phone is charging, or when reverse wireless charging is activated, and it can also be used as a fill light when you’re taking photos or videos. The latter is probably the most interesting because flash units on smartphones tend to be very harsh, so having more dispersed lighting could help low-light photos look a bit more natural.

While on paper the concept sounds fantastic, it remains to be seen whether or not it will be useful in the real world. The company will be officially announcing the handset on the 12th of July, so we should have more details on its availability then.