Nothing created a glow-in-the-dark phone after asking customers what they wanted

Nothing took the ‘community’ aspect of its brand marketing a little too seriously and asked its followers worldwide to co-create a new edition of its flagship Telephone (2a) Plus. After receiving more than 900 entries from 47 countries, the company crowned five winners and worked with them to develop the culmination of their ideas: a glow-in-the-dark phone.

This is Nothing’s first Community Edition projectand it involved input not only in hardware, but also in software, packaging and marketing, making this edition completely shaped by them. These are the only areas where a change has taken place after co-creation. The specifications and features of this version are the same as the original edition released in July 2024. Nothing is proud of it Actually values ​​community input, going so far as to say, “Community is something other brands talk about, but Nothing is proud to bring this to life through a product launch.”

The co-created edition for Nothing’s flagship phone retains the company’s identity, which was reflected in the original version. It’s the same transparent casing that allows users to look at the phone’s internal components, like the ribbons and the screws, and the same three glyph lights that illuminate the back of the phone. In addition to these lights, a new phosphorescence interface dimly illuminates the rear with its soft, subtle glow. The company’s designers experimented with different materials and colors to meet the winner’s glow-in-the-dark requirements and chose this phosphorescent green-tinted material.

On the software side, the winning ideas led to a new ‘Connected Collection’ of six wallpapers with AI tools and a number of digital designs.

There’s also some glow-in-the-dark activity going on on the phone’s new packaging. The new design includes some reflective elements to match the new design of the phone. The marketing campaign for this edition also complements the winning ideas and includes a slogan that reads ‘Find your light. Capture your light” with a focus on exploring one’s inner strength.

The Phone (2a) Plus Community Edition will be available in all markets from November 12 nothing.tech for around $519 (converted from £399). There are only 1,000 copies in this edition, so you’ll have to hurry to get yours.

It seems like Nothing is really working on getting the community more involved in the design process. This was the largest community project to date, and co-development of software and content is currently underway. In 2022, it also introduced a new Community Board Observer role, responsible for representing what consumers want at the Board meeting level.