Nothing has broken away from the LED-laden rear panel that users love, and has introduced the Nothing Phone (3) with something called a “Glyph Matrix.” The new display technically offers more than Nothing’s previous phones, including interaction with proprietary games.
The Glyph Matrix is essentially a tiny display on the back of the Nothing Phone (3). If you glanced fast enough, you would mistake it for another camera lens. It can’t take pictures, but it does replace the entire LED aesthetic that Nothing pioneered during the Phone (1) and (2).
The tiny circular screen displays media in dot matrix form, so it isn’t going to offer anything entirely high-def. Still, it’s a cool little touch that goes beyond looks.
According to Nothing, the Glyph Matrix is the heart of the Phone (3). It can be used as a method of reducing screen time or to play around with, depending on your use case. Nothing notes that users can set app-specific alerts that will appear on the tiny display. Other apps can display real-time progress indicators, like an incoming delivery or countdown to a game. Those are generic examples, and Nothing has been quiet about the full functionality that will be offered.
The display can also act as a caller ID, which is a nice touch. Long-pressing the Glyph button will display the caller’s name or number during calls.
This feature is reminiscent of Asus’ ROG Phone 9 Pro with its rear dot matrix display. That doesn’t offer quite the utility that Nothing’s Glyph Matrix does, but it accomplishes the same retro look.
The Glyph Matrix is also capable of displaying standalone apps. Nothing announced Glyph Toys, which is an extension of the Matrix feature that offers what could be described best as widgets. The “toys” include the following:
- Glyph Mirror
- Digital Clock
- Stopwatch
- Battery Indicator
- Solar Clock
- Spin the Bottle
There’s only one game on the list, but with the Glpyh Matrix being open to developers, more will likely follow in time.
The Nothing Phone (3) will be available in white and black variants starting at $799 in the US. Nothing plans on selling the device on its own website and Amazon, with pre-orders opening on July 4.
Let us know what you think of Nothing’s Glyph Matrix.
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More on Nothing:
- Nothing Phone (3) goes official with ‘Glyph Matrix’ for $799, available July 15
- Sennheiser pokes fun at Nothing’s peculiar headphone design
- Nothing says Essential Space will remain free, at least in its current form
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