🙌 Good morning, and welcome to the Daily Authority. I’ve spent the weekend dodging national power cuts, but the mask mandate in South Africa has finally been lifted. No more nasal folds!
Can Carl Pei do it again?
We’ve had some time to reflect on the glowing design of Nothing Phone 1. It’s a divisive device. But my Android Authority colleague Dhruv Bhutani argues that this may not be the phone’s defining feature. Instead, it might be the proven cleverness of OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei. With the OnePlus playbook under his arm and Nothing at his feet, Pei can let his imagination run wild through Oppo’s limitations. This outcome allowed Pei to target the “TikTok generation” and “hypebeasts” in the audience through redesign and clever marketing.
Not just guerrilla marketing:
Pei’s power is to get people talking, but our first glimpses of the Nothing Phone 1 suggest it wasn’t just designed for the sake of design. The “Glyph” is a series of LEDs on the back of the phone that doubles as a critical visual feature and a smart notification light. Pei has also said, “creating an ecosystem of interconnected devices and the ability for the phone to communicate with connected peripherals also made by other manufacturers.” Overall, there is hope to build a business with a wider ecosystem of AIOT devices.
What’s next:
Is this enough for surefire success? While the Phone 1 certainly stands out, a phone’s market performance is more than clever design and a charismatic leader. Pei and his team must focus on the basics, from launch to post-sales support. Like OnePlus’s first offering, Pei must focus on price and value. But Pei has given the company the best chance of success. Let’s see how it plays out.
To round up
📱 Nothing reminds us that smartphone design innovation isn’t dead (Android Authority).
👉 Xiaomi 12T leaks could fix where Xiaomi 12 went wrong (Android Authority).
📝 Is an Android-powered e-ink tablet a good idea? The Huawei Matepad Paper gives some surprising answers (Android Authority).
📡 Starlink RV could be the best way to stay connected to high-speed internet while exploring the great outdoors, provided you don’t move while using it (The Verge).
🧠 “From now on, the safe use of artificial intelligence requires demystifying the human condition.” A fascinating lecture on AI’s ability to appear human and its implications (Wired).
🚗 Mercedes broke its distance record with its Vision EQXX electric car, covering 746.8 miles from Stuttgart, Germany, to Silverstone, UK, on a single charge. That’s almost double the range of the Tesla Model S. It still had enough juice left to drive a few laps on the Silverstone circuit (Autoweek)
👾 “What’s an old video game that still holds up so well today?” (r/askreddit)
Monday Meme
Finally, for something extremely relatable. Staying up all night is the best way to wake up early. That’s not good advice, but it’s functionally true!
Andy Walker / Android Authority
A good start to your week!
