US fans can now get a Nothing Phone (1) for $300 as part of the Nothing OS 1.5 beta program
The Nothing Phone (1) still isn’t available for sale in the US, but you can get one through official channels as part of Nothing’s US-based beta testing program. This is billed as testing Nothing OS 1.5 (which is based on Android 13), but it is also very much a test of network coverage.
Here’s the deal: for $300 you can get an 8/128GB Phone (1) for testing, though note that there is no warranty or after-sales service. You can return the phone within 14 days to get a refund, but only if it isn’t damaged. The beta program will end on June 30 and participants can keep the phone once it’s over.
If you’re thinking of getting one to use as a daily driver instead of as the beta unit that it is, there is a problem – Nothing is in talks with US carriers but has not reached a deal yet. This means that some services will not be available (e.g. VoLTE and VoWiFi will not work on AT&T).
There is also a technical issue – the Phone (1) was originally meant for a launch in Europe and Asia only, so it lacks support for most 5G bands used in the US. Check out the beta membership FAQ for more details. Long story short, T-Mobile’s N41 is the only 5G band supported, so even if Nothing works out something with the carrier, coverage will be spotty. Compatibility with Verizon is “very limited”.
If you’re still interested in trying one out, you can sign up for the Nothing OS 1.5 Beta membership here. Shipping will take 5-7 days and as far as we can tell the white color option isn"t available and neither are other memory configurations.
