The modern smartphone landscape is a creative desert. Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra is technically outstanding, but held back by an uninspired design and generic software. Google’s Pixel 10 Pro? It’s better-looking, but won’t thrill you unless you prize camera quality and AI. Even foldables have settled into a groove, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 pulling bolder ideas like the S Pen in the name of thinness.

Simply speaking, most phones are boring. They’re tools that run your must-have apps and take your vacation photos. That’s fine for some, but there’s no joy to picking them up, no sense that your Galaxy or Pixel is special. Pablo Picasso, who argued that art washes away the “dust of everyday life,” wouldn’t be happy.

7/10

SoC

Qualcomm Kryo, 8-core, up to 2.8 GHz

Display

flexible AMOLED

That’s why Nothing, a UK mobile startup launched by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, is so important. Even if its phones aren’t always the most powerful, they serve as a wake-up call to Samsung, Google, and other heavyweights: get back to making phones that are genuinely interesting. I’ve had the opportunity to use the Nothing Phone 4a Pro, and it’s a masterclass in how to make a device that’s distinctive, opinionated, and even a little fun.

Good phone design should be polarizing

Samsung and Google are playing it safe

It’s understandable why brands like Samsung and Google are so conservative with their modern phone designs. They want to reach as many customers as possible, and the easiest way to achieve that is through style that’s broadly appealing and inoffensive.

But that also makes their phones virtually interchangeable apart from a few technical differences. Those differences are sometimes meaningful, of course, but you won’t usually miss your old Galaxy because of its looks. The hardware doesn’t usually reflect you, and there’s certainly little sense of attachment.

Nothing is succeeding (it’s now worth over $1.3 billion) precisely because the company is unafraid of polarizing designs. You might not like the Phone 4a Pro’s asymmetric camera plateau or questionably-useful Glyph Matrix display, but I and many others do. I love using and simply holding mine every day — it’s a piece of art in my pocket. And yes, there’s a certain pleasure to having a conversation piece that sparks “what is that?” reactions. While it’s not as bold a fashion statement as an out-there jacket, it reflects my personality (slightly eccentric tech enthusiast) in the same way.

More importantly for phone makers, an opinionated design also makes it harder for you to let go. Why would I want to give up the 4a Pro when other phones are so boring? There may be technical reasons to jump ship, such as a must-have camera upgrade, but I can’t imagine myself giving up the 4a Pro for a duller device in the same price range, such as the modest (if occasionally superior) Pixel 10a.

Features can exist just for fun

Not everything has to be practical

Credit: Jon Fingas / How-To Geek

Samsung, Google, and others also tend to take a very pragmatic approach to features. Even many gimmicks, like Samsung’s Moon photo optimization and the Pixel’s thermometer, are intended as serious tools. Again, it’s easy to see why. If a company invests in a feature, it often wants a concrete selling point that makes the investment worthwhile.

That raises a question, though: does every feature have to be utilitarian? If anything, it would be more valuable to have a whimsical feature you see daily than a practical but instantly forgettable tool. I don’t check temperatures very often in the first place, let alone with my handset. I’d better appreciate something that makes me smile instead.

That’s where Nothing excels. Does the Glyph Matrix on the Phone 4a Pro serve any practical purpose beyond custom notifications and a ‘mirror’ for rear camera selfies? No, but that doesn’t matter — and Nothing knows this. It adds character, and might even make you laugh if you play a game of Spin the Bottle. I got more value out of the Matrix in a week than some gimmicks I’ve known about for years..

This isn’t to give phone makers an excuse to paper over weaknesses in their devices with fun novelties. They still need to nail the basics and provide solid reasons to upgrade. However, Nothing has proven that there’s worth in letting designers explore oddball ideas. They give you something to love, and might just cheer you up in a dreary world.

Software should be special

Make a statement, not just a skin

Credit: Jon Fingas / How-To Geek

Android was designed in part to let manufacturers stand out, but you almost wouldn’t know it with a glance at the modern phone landscape. Google’s version of Android on the Pixel is ‘pure’ like you’d expect, but why does Samsung’s One UI feel generic even if it can be very helpful? Why does Motorola have little to offer? And let’s not get started on the multiple Chinese brands that copy iPhone features almost verbatim.

I want phone software that’s as distinctive as the hardware that powers it. An immediately recognizable look. Features that would be unlikely to appear anywhere else. And yes, a little touch of delight. The interface should be something I’d want to keep, not replace or tone down.

This is where Nothing leads by example. The monochromatic, retro look of Nothing OS won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but it’s the perfect complement to my Phone 4a Pro — it’s practically an extension of the hardware. That includes the individual app (who knew that the app to pair your earbuds could be interesting?). I’ve kept the interface unchanged since setup, and that’s something I can’t say for companies like Samsung or even Google.

This isn’t even including community-developed Glyph Toys and apps, which can add helpful features while sticking to the company’s aesthetic.

Android is defined by its flexibility, and I appreciate that Nothing lets me dial back some of its interface elements. I wouldn’t want to return to the bad old days when you routinely had to use a third-party launcher to avoid awkward interface elements. But Nothing has shown that a one-of-a-kind UI can be attractive in itself, even if you can remove it in a heartbeat.

Nothing is an inspiration, but not perfection

Nothing doesn’t get a free pass. The Phone 4a Pro has inconsistent camera quality, and its 140X zoom is the very sort of boring gimmick I’ve complained about. The Essential Space is useful as an AI catch-all for notes and screenshots; tying it to a button you can’t remap, not so much. And as much as I like gripping that metal body, I’d like wireless charging a bit more.

But Nothing has done something; even giants like Samsung and Google just aren’t doing right now: they made a mid-range phone that feels like a rockstar. I love flagship-level cameras and performance, but I’d happily give those up if necessary. The Phone 4a is not only a solid phone for the money, but it also makes me genuinely happy. Even the Galaxy S25 Ultra I tried last year was dull and uninspired, no matter how technically outstanding it was.

Imagine what Samsung and Google could do if they put that same kind of care into their best devices. Class-leading hardware paired with a memorable design and even a bit of silliness? Yes, please. Nothing isn’t about to overtake those brands in sales, but it should scare them into major strategy shifts.