Skip to main content

The Nothing Phone 2 just leaked, and it’s not what I expected

Nothing Phone (2) leaked renders.
SmartPrix

Nothing has been hyping up It’s next phone with executive interviews and social media drop-feeding recently. But merely weeks before the anticipated July launch and eventual brand arrival in the U.S. market, the leaking world has spoiled the design surprise.

Recommended Videos

Prolific leaker Steve H. (aka @OnLeaks ) teamed up with SmartPrix to drop high-resolution renders of the Nothing Phone 2 based on a “testing stage unit.” To sum up my first impression after seeing these renders, I’d say it’s underwhelming — especially for a brand that takes a lot of pride in its design chops.

However, Nothing has made some subtle improvements that you are going to feel more in your hands instead of seeing with your eyes. To begin, Nothing has ditched the sharp, flat sides seen on the Nothing Phone 1 and has embraced an outward bulging frame (similar to the Galaxy S23) for the Nothing Phone 2.

Nothing Phone (2) leaked render.
SmartPrix

From my own experience using the Nothing Phone 1 and iPhone 14 Pro, which both have a flat profile, I am glad that Nothing chose to evolve this ergonomic aspect. Those sharp edges really dig into the palm of your hands, and for a phone as big as the Nothing Phone 1, it was not the most comfortable experience.

Nothing is reportedly refining the design elements further by utilizing subtly curved glass alongside the edges on both sides where it meets the metallic frame. It’s not a dramatic change, but gives somewhat of a mild ergonomic refresh to the Nothing Phone 2, leaving behind the flat slab look of its predecessor.

Nothing Phone (2) leaked photos.
SmartPrix

The rear panel looks more or less the same, but Nothing appears to have employed slightly thinner LED strips around the wireless charging coil and the camera island. More importantly, this LED strip around the charging coil is not a single uniform unit, as was the case with the Nothing Phone 1.

Instead, it has a staggered look on the Nothing Phone 2, breaking at multiple points unevenly. It appears that this multistrip approach will allow a deeper level of lighting customization based on the task assigned to them.

Leaked renders of the Nothing Phone 2.
SmartPrix

Another minor upgrade is a dual-LED flash unit on the back, supposedly to offer a higher degree of illumination for image and video captures in dark surroundings. As for the innards, the screen will be slightly bigger, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 will run the show inside.

The flagship Qualcomm chip also brings advanced camera capabilities to the table, while the battery capacity has also been bumped up from 4,500 mAh to 4,700 mAh, with support for fast charging in tow. The Nothing Phone 2 is set to break cover in July and will be the first Nothing smartphone to hit the shelves in the U.S.

Nadeem Sarwar
Nadeem is a tech and science journalist who started reading about cool smartphone tech out of curiosity and soon started…
Nothing wants your help to design a unique Nothing Phone 3a
Nothing Phone 3a in White HeroRear picture

Have you looked at the Nothing Phone 3a and thought, “I wish it looked different,” or that it came with a unique accessory? Nothing is giving you the chance to make your dreams for the phone a reality with the launch of its second Community Edition Project, where you get to design your ultimate Nothing Phone 3a.

We're Letting the Internet Design Our Next Phone

Read more
Forget the iPhone 17, new leak says wait for the iPhone 18
iOS 18 logo on the iPhone 16 Pro

The iPhone 17 isn't even out yet and already we're getting word about the following model and signs suggest the iPhone 18 is worth waiting for.

Apple has been reported as working on the manufacturing process for its A20 chip. This, according to GF Securities' Apple analyst Jeff Pu, is a chip that is going to be built on the mind-melting 2nm scale known as N2.

Read more
Network tests show Apple C1 modem in iPhone 16e wins where it matters
The camera on the Apple iPhone 16e in White

When Apple introduced the iPhone 16e a few weeks ago, one aspect that drew the most attention was its network chip. The C1 is Apple’s first in-house modem to appear inside an iPhone, ditching the company’s total reliance on Qualcomm. However, there were also concerns about whether this modem is competitive.
The folks over at the popular internet speed testing platform, Ookla, tested the Apple-designed modem and found that it beats Qualcomm’s solution inside the iPhone 16 at a few crucial parameters. The analysis, which lasted roughly two weeks, covered AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile cellular networks.
On a general note, the iPhone 16e performed better than the iPhone 16 when tethered to AT&T and Verizon networks, while the reverse was true for T-Mobile. Ookla says the opposite T-Mobile results can be attributed to the carrier’s nationwide 5G standalone network (SA), while Apple’s C1 modem comes with limited SA compatibility.

When the going gets tough, C1 rises

Read more