Why Nothing’s big push into the US still isn’t enough

I loved hearing the news that Nothing is expanding its presence in Best Buy stores. We’re in desperate need of smartphone competition in the US, and Nothing would fill a massive hole left by OnePlus’s shrinking away from our markets. Nothing hasn’t been free of missteps, but all told, the devices would give buyers more choice at multiple price points.

I only hope that Nothing understands Best Buy needs to be the opening salvo in the company’s expansion into the US, not the culmination of the plan. We’ve had a few brands try to make it work with just a big-box retail presence, only to retreat shortly after.

If Nothing is serious about its vision to grab a significant share of the US smartphone market, it needs more than just Best Buy in the works.

Despite the problem with some misused photos in Nothing marketing, I’ve been a fan of the company overall. The initial vision was excellent — to build an entire ecosystem with a strong, consumer-forward brand. Whether you think the Glyph Interface is gimmicky or not, it’s fun and different, and I’m here for it. I have a lot of fun setting up different notification patterns and tones, and the hardware design is clean.

I also appreciate what Nothing is doing with its software. Nothing OS is heavily skinned if you want it to be, but you can choose a more traditional Android layout. The patch notes are also a highlight. I love that Nothing clearly lays out what was updated and what has changed about the user experience. It makes Android more palatable to more users, and as a child of the 80s, I’m a fan of the dot-matrix aesthetic.

More importantly, Nothing isn’t a one-hit wonder. Its CMF sub-brand offers some fantastic budget phone alternatives to Samsung and Motorola. Nothing’s mid-range phones give Samsung and Google a run for their money, especially fun and capable devices like the Nothing 4a Pro. If the company can scale correctly, Nothing has the ideal lineup to make a dent in the US market.

That said, it’s going to take more than one store to do so.

It’s hard to pin down an exact number of people who buy smartphones through carriers in the US, but multiple reports put the figure in the tens of millions, making it the most common way to buy smartphones in the country. And it makes sense. Carriers can offer outsized trade-in discounts and incentives. You’re able to spread your payment out over several years, making the hit to your wallet on a monthly basis more manageable.

Do you honestly think Motorola would sell as many $1,000+ Razrs as it does if people had to buy them all unlocked? I know it’s difficult for enthusiasts to understand, since we love unlocked devices (and I completely understand why), but most buyers like walking in, choosing a phone, having someone sort out their SIM card and data transfer, and they’ll happily pay $30 a month.

There’s power in seeing phones side by side. Someone tired of Samsung’s same-old design language might be excited by a Nothing Phone 3 on carrier shelves. Best Buy is a phenomenal start, but it needs to be just one piece of the puzzle, not the whole thing — especially since I’ve seen this movie before.

Nothing isn’t the first company to try to make things work with Best Buy as a retail outlet. I remember seeing Sony Xperia devices on the shelves at Best Buy. Yes, it does make things a little easier, as people can go and see the phones for themselves, whereas they’d typically be limited to pictures online.

However, without that ease of carrier store support (and financing), it’s still an uphill battle getting people to buy them. Sony found that out the hard way, but it wasn’t the only one.

Nothing devices will literally be replacing OnePlus phones in Best Buy stores. I knew OnePlus was finished in the US once the T-Mobile deal went south. It was an unfortunate time for OnePlus to try to break in. The OnePlus 10 Pro was the company’s oddest device in years, totally betraying what had made OnePlus popular in the first place. They eventually turned it around, but I felt it was too late.

I’m rooting for Nothing to be successful. Samsung and Google have gotten too comfortable, and Motorola has its quirks. We sorely miss LG and Sony in the US, and whether you liked their phones or not, variety and innovation are good things.

Nothing has the lineup and the style to make a legitimate run — I just hope it has the business savvy to match.