nothing's community-created phone (2a) plus glows in the dark

Nothing releases Phone (2a) Plus Community Edition

London-based tech company Nothing is breaking new ground with the release of the Phone (2a) Plus Community Edition, a co-created version of their 2024 smartphone designed collaboratively with community members from around the world. In a world-first for the brand, this edition of the Phone (2a) Plus glows in the dark and takes inspiration from the concept of fireflies – a theme that forms the heart of its accompanying campaign. The bold release is a testament to Nothing’s commitment to pushing boundaries and inviting users to take an active role in shaping the products they love.

Nothing Unveils Industry First Co-Created Smartphone, Phone (2a) Plus | all images courtesy of Nothing

Winning creators COLLABORATE WITH Nothing’s design team

Founded in 2020, Nothing has quickly established itself as a pioneer in consumer technology, gaining acclaim for its sleek design, user-centered designs, and commitment to making technology fun and accessible. In its first few years, the London-based company sold over five million products, including the award-winning Phone (1) and an expanded lineup of audio devices. With the launch of the Phone (2a) Plus Community Edition Project, Nothing is pushing boundaries further, inviting over 900 participants from 47 countries to co-create a product from the ground up, revealing a distinct approach to customer involvement and community-led design.

The Community Edition Project is the company’s first large-scale initiative inviting its global community to influence hardware, software, and design at every level, ultimately aiming to redefine the traditional tech development process. After a competitive selection, five talented winners – Astrid Vanhuyse & Kenta Akasaki, Andrés Mateos, Ian Henry Simmonds, and Sonya Palma – were chosen to collaborate directly with Nothing’s teams in London. Together, they brought to life a version of Phone (2a) Plus that reflects the creativity and values of the community itself. This co-created smartphone’s distinctive glow-in-the-dark feature captures the eye and imagination, powered by a green-tinted phosphorescent finish on the back that charges with daylight and requires no additional power source.

wallpaper design by Andrés Mateos

stages of co-creation for phone (2a) plus

Stage 1 – Hardware Design: Astrid Vanhuyse and Kenta Akasaki worked closely with Nothing’s Design Director, Adam Bates, and CMF Designer Lucy Birley to realize the “Phosphorescence” concept. Together, they crafted a smartphone with green phosphorescent finishes on the back, creating a subtle glow in dark environments that evokes the serene beauty of fireflies. This analog feature not only captures attention but also aligns with Nothing’s design philosophy by requiring no power to maintain its effect.

Stage 2 – Wallpaper Design: Building on this hardware innovation, Andrés Mateos collaborated with Software Design Director Mladen M Hoyss and Designer Ken Giang to create the ‘Connected Collection’ of wallpapers. Initially planned as four designs, the team expanded to six wallpapers, combining AI tools and digital design techniques to echo the community-focused vision.

packaging design by Ian Henry Simmonds, who re-envisioned Nothing’s minimalist aesthetic with his ‘Less is More’ concept

Stage 3 – Packaging Design: For the packaging, Ian Henry Simmonds re-envisioned Nothing’s minimalist aesthetic with his ‘Less is More’ concept, adding a macro-cropped design with reflective elements that glow in dark spaces. This packaging complements the phosphorescent hardware, creating a unified experience that begins as soon as users unbox the device.

Stage 4 – Marketing Campaign: Sonya Palma rounded out the project by leading a campaign titled “Find your light. Capture your light,” a reflection of Nothing’s launch campaign for their very first product, centered around “pure instinct.” This campaign, which includes a film and digital assets, was designed with the Nothing Creative Team and aims to resonate with Nothing’s audience, inviting them to explore and express their inner light.

Sonya Palma’s campaign titled ‘Find your light. Capture your light’