Original Article: The mobile tech world is clamoring to know what Carl Pei has in store with its company called Nothing. The Nothing Phone (1) will be the company’s smartphone, and we’re all excited to know how it will challenge Apple and Samsung. While we don’t know what the phone’s hardware will look like, we can get a taste of the software. Today, you can download and try out the Nothing Launcher beta. In case you know nothing about Nothing, here’s a refresher. Carl Pei, co-founder of the popular brand OnePlus, has started his own brand of mobile tech called Nothing. The company’s first product was a set of TWS earbuds called the Nothing Ear (1). However, Pei wants to chase bigger fish and launch a full-fledged smartphone. Dubbed the Nothing Phone (1), this phone is expected to be a breath of fresh air for the smartphone community. The phone itself is expected to launch sometime in the summer of 2022.
Now, about the Nothing Launcher, you can download and install it today
During a recent event, Pei showed off some of the phone’s software. Obviously, it’s going to run Android, but the company will have its own skin on top. Called the Nothing Launcher, it will show the company’s unique aesthetic. At first glance, it looks to share some similarities with stock Android… well before Android 12. The app icons are pretty big and round, and they remind you of what you’d see on an older Pixel phone. When you install it, you’ll see the wallpaper change to this rather trippy and creepy background of a hand; suddenly, you’re watching a horror movie. Navigating and using the interface, you’ll see that you can easily go to the wallpaper settings, access the widgets, and access extra app functions right from the home screen. There’s also a home screen settings menu, but you only have two things to change. You can enable/disable the notification dots and choose if you want new apps to be added to the home screen automatically.
Not everyone can get this launcher, however
If you’re excited to try this out, just know that it’s not for every phone. You can download the Nothing Launcher if you have a Galaxy S21 or a Galaxy S22 phone. As for Pixel phones, you can get it if you’re using a Pixel 5/5a or a Pixel 6 phone. Nothing noted that OnePlus compatibility will come soon. The launcher itself comes in at 15MB to download. Also, it’s in beta form, and that means you should expect some stability issues to be present. Download the Nothing Launcher Beta - 15MB
