South African consumers are eagerly anticipating the official launch of the Nothing Phone, set to hit the market next month. Cernotech, a prominent South African distributor, has inked a deal to introduce Nothing Technology’s latest offerings, including the flagship Nothing Phone 2 and the midrange Nothing Phone 2a.
Read: Bandwidth Blog & Smile 90.4FM Tech Tuesday: Microsoft Quantum Computing!
Founded by Carl Pei, co-founder of OnePlus, Nothing Technology has garnered considerable attention, with investors like Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, and YouTube personality Casey Neistat. The brand’s design philosophy has resonated particularly well with tech enthusiasts and the younger demographic.
Philip Goodwin, Cernotech’s product lead, revealed in an exclusive interview with TechCentral that the Nothing Phone 2 and Nothing Phone 2a will be available for purchase in South Africa by early June. These smartphones will be accessible both online and through at least one major mobile operator, with ongoing negotiations expected to conclude soon.
The indicative non-carrier-subsidized pricing for the models, inclusive of 15% VAT, is as follows:
- Nothing Phone 2 (256GB storage, 8GB RAM): R16,100
- Nothing Phone 2 (512GB storage, 12GB RAM): R17,825
- Nothing Phone 2a (128GB storage, 8GB RAM): R8,700
- Nothing Phone 2a (256GB storage, 12GB RAM): R10,000
Regarding Nothing Technology’s earbuds, Goodwin mentioned that a decision about their introduction in South Africa is pending, with online sales being the likely distribution channel initially.
The company also plans to establish service centres in South Africa eventually, but initially, it will adopt a “swap for repair” model, where faulty devices will be exchanged for functioning ones.
Cernotech specializes in distributing alternative mobile brands in South Africa, having previously introduced the rugged Cat smartphone brand. Goodwin positioned Nothing as a “challenger brand” in the mobile market, offering premium features at competitive prices compared to leading brands.
The Nothing Phone 2 boasts impressive specifications, including a 6.7-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC, dual 50-megapixel rear cameras, 32MP selfie camera, 5G and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, under-display fingerprint scanner, and a 4,700mAh battery. Meanwhile, the 2a model features a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro 5G SoC, dual 50MP rear cameras, 32MP selfie camera, and a 5,000mAh battery.
Both phones run on Nothing OS, based on Android, and come with extended software support, offering three years of Android updates and four years of security updates. A unique feature of the Nothing Phone is the “Glyph Interface,” which allows users to interact with the smartphone through customizable light patterns and sounds when placed face down.
