TLDR
- Nothing has introduced a new AI-powered “News Reporter” widget for its smartphones
- The widget provides 1-minute AI-summarized news stories read by a synthesized version of Nothing’s CFO’s voice
- Nothing has also launched the Phone (2a) Plus, a slightly upgraded version of their Phone (2a)
- The Phone (2a) Plus features minor improvements in processor, selfie camera, and charging speed
- The new phone will be available for $399 through Nothing’s beta program in the US
Nothing, the tech company known for its innovative smartphone designs, has announced two new offerings: an AI-powered “News Reporter” widget and the Phone (2a) Plus, an upgraded version of its earlier model.
The “News Reporter” widget, now available on all Nothing and CMF smartphones, uses artificial intelligence to summarize news articles and convert them into audio. The widget provides curated news from eight selectable genres, including business, entertainment, technology, and more. Each story summary lasts one minute, with a total of eight stories available per day.
The synthesized voice reading these news summaries belongs to Tim Holbrow, Nothing’s Chief Financial Officer.
The company is using ElevenLabs’ technology for sound synthesis and output. When users first tap the widget, they’re greeted with a light-hearted introduction: “Welcome to Nothing News, where the only thing we take seriously is not taking anything seriously. I’m Tim, your CFO and reluctant news reader.”
The AI system behind the widget compiles articles from English language publishers using News API and Meta’s Llama large language models for summarization. Users can customize their news feed by adding or removing categories of interest. The widget refreshes each morning with a new set of stories.
While the feature offers a quick and easy way to consume news, it does have limitations. There’s no attribution to the original news sources, and no links are provided for users who want to read more about a particular story.
Alongside the new widget, Nothing has also introduced the Phone (2a) Plus. This new device is nearly identical to the Phone (2a) released earlier this year but comes with some minor upgrades.
The Phone (2a) Plus features MediaTek’s Dimensity 7350 Pro 5G processor, offering a 10% increase in CPU power and a 30% jump in graphics performance compared to its predecessor. The selfie camera has been upgraded to a 50-megapixel sensor capable of shooting 4K video at 30 frames per second. The wired charging capability has also been improved, now supporting 50 watts for slightly faster charging times.
Other specifications remain largely unchanged from the original Phone (2a). The device still features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, a 5,000 mAh battery, and Nothing’s signature Glyph light functionality on the rear of the phone.
Nothing’s head of PR in the US, Jane Nho, explained the reasoning behind the new release: “We aren’t launching Phone (3) until next year, and we saw an opportunity to enhance the smartphone we launched in March with Phone (2a) Plus, a new smartphone—catered towards power users—at an accessible price point.”
The Phone (2a) Plus will be available in gray and black colors, with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. In the US, the device will be sold through Nothing’s beta program system, similar to the Phone (2a) and CMF Phone 1. Interested customers will need to sign up for the beta, and if accepted, they can purchase the device for $399. The phone will be available starting August 7 at 9 am ET.
