British company Nothing, already known for its smartphone Phone (1) and wireless earphones, has started negotiations with American mobile operators on the sale of smartphones on their own platforms; Apple iPhone. The venture behind one of the founders of the world-famous Chinese brand OnePlus Carl Pei (Carl Pei), introduced the smartphone Phone (1) in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, but has not yet appeared in the USA and Canada In terms of features and price, Nothing The Phone (1) model is comparable to the iPhone SE.

The company has yet to make its way to the US due to technical difficulties. In particular, the manufacturer complains that each local mobile operator requires a unique Android customization. Also, large companies like Samsung or Apple already have strong connections with local mobile operators, making it even more difficult for small businesses to compete with them. But according to Pei, a third of the Nothing Ear (1) headphone sales today come from the US. So, the market looks promising for smartphones as well.

Pei believes there is some interest in the company’s products in the US, and this will allow the business to grow significantly if a new smartphone is released. The company says its revenue in 2022 has grown more than 10x – from $20 million in 2021 to nearly $250 million this year. In addition, the number of employees doubled and reached 400 people. However, the producer is still losing money, expecting to reach its first profit in 2024, and for now complains of fluctuations in exchange rates against the dollar.earnings are devalued “.

While Pei intends to challenge Apple in the US, he still has a long way to go. Along with its services, iOS is gaining more and more dominance in the country, especially among Generation Z representatives. Pei does not exclude that later Apple will occupy 80% of the market here, leaving no room for the development of manufacturers of Android models. The company’s president added that Apple’s 30 percent commission on the App Store is a serious ceiling for business growth.

One of the main concerns is Foxconn’s reluctance to work for Nothing, which fulfills orders from the same Apple – the company has dealt with startups before and they’ve all gone bankrupt. After every such failure, Foxconn lost its own money.

Now another challenge was the sanitary restrictions on movement between countries and even within the same country. Nothing reports that the factory in India, where the smartphones are made, literally has to be remotely controlled, and that in Shenzhen, China, where strict lockdown measures are in place, employees are forced to discuss a range of topics during 45-minute breaks. They were allowed to go. according to the products.

To date, Nothing has sold over 1 million products worldwide, including 600,000 pairs of Earbuds (1) and 500,000 Phones (1) smartphones. However, the startup is still an extremely small player by global standards, with extremely vague prospects at a time when people are trying to cut costs.