London-based startup Nothing is launching its first smartphone, Phone 1, on July 12. However, Americans who were eagerly anticipating the launch will be disappointed — the phone won’t be available in the US, the company confirmed to CNET. Leaker Evan Blass noted the absence earlier this week.
“Whilst we’d love to bring our second product to the entire community around the world, we will be focusing on home markets, including the UK and across Europe where we have strong partnerships with leading local carriers,” a Nothing spokesperson said in a statement. The phone will reportedly skip Canada, too.
Nothing is “definitely aiming to launch a US-supported mobile in the future,” the spokesperson added, noting that a number of investors will be able to buy the Phone 1 in the US in a “closed beta program.”
After launching in January 2021, Nothing released its first product, a pair of headphones called Ear 1. Its products’ design have been marked by clear exteriors that provide a view of their innards.
Founder Carl Pei, who also co-founded OnePlus, has a history of designing high-quality phones that are cheaper than their rivals and has said Phone 1 will rival the iPhone. The phone will run on the Android-based Nothing OS and be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip.