‘Nothing’ is certain about the future of Web3

Nothing — the company behind the recently launched Phone (1), and perhaps most recognized for its minimalistic design — seeks to offer more than just looks for its users. Founded in 2020 with a vision to “remove barriers between people and technology”, the London-based tech company has been designing its products with intuitiveness and accessibility at the core. With the unveiling of Phone (1) and Black Dots NFTs earlier in July, the brand set its sights on removing the barriers to Web3 — or blockchain technology, specifically — through putting forth a smartphone that is natively compatible with blockchain networks and decentralized apps, alongside creating a close-knit community amongst Nothing’s users.

Artazine: In building towards a comprehensive ecosystem for Nothing, why did you launch Ear (1) before Phone (1), but not the opposite?

Xu: Our first product was critical, as a small and agile team, we started with something we could manage: true wireless earphones. Ear (1) features our signature design and attracted a group of true fans. On the other hand, Phone (1), being the core of the Nothing ecosystem, involved lots of effort by the whole team.

A: Alongside unveiling the black edition for Ear (1), Nothing also announced that it will be accepting cryptocurrency in certain countries, paving the way for its future endeavors in Web3. At this stage, is there any development, i.e. software or infrastructure, specifically made for Web3?

X: Nothing as a visionary brand has been exploring Web3 space continuously. Three months ago, we launched the NFT community royalty program — Nothing Community Dots. More innovative mechanisms and benefits for our consumers are coming soon. Beyond the NFT community program, we're also exploring software and infrastructures on top of our phones, which will bring everyone a seamless mobile Web3 experience.

A: Earlier this year when the Black Dot NFTs were launched, one of its perks include invitations to the Nothing Phone (1) launch event in London. Will there be any other benefits, apart from early access to new products and events, in the near future for the Black Dot holders?

X: Yes. We treasure the Black Dots holders a lot as they are our early supporters. The team has been developing a long-term plan for our Community Dots program. We will announce more surprises and benefits soon.

A: How will the collection play a role in connecting to other dots, so to speak? Say, will it be incorporated into games (such as using a Nothing Phone (1) in The Sandbox game?) or utilized as a gateway token to certain products and services? 

X: Firstly, we can reveal a little bit that within the Nothing Community Dots program, the dots can be connected and will create something new.

Beyond this, dots will be playing a vital role in Nothing's Web3 ecosystem, which could be, but not limited to, games, art, entertainment, and so on.

A: Besides the looks, one of the defining features of Nothing Phone (1) is its compatibility with the Polygon dapps. If you are to describe to a user who is not familiar with the concept of dapps, what are the differences between a Nothing Phone (1) and a typical Android-based phone?

X: We want to remove the barriers between people and technology. So regardless of Web2 or Web3, we're creating a seamless mobile experience for the visionaries.

A: A key vision of Nothing is shaping a seamless digital future for its users. Besides developments and collaborations related to Web3, are there other means to achieve the vision?

X: The Nothing ecosystem would be open to all.

A: At this stage, what is the biggest barrier(s) between technology and people?

X: Technological barriers and uninspiring designs are what we are trying to change — through following our instinct and adding human warmth.