We’re just less than a month away from Nothing’s flagship event for the year. It does seem like the company’s been launching new gear pretty much every alternate month, but we actually have the best products still waiting to be formally launched, with the Phone (3) and the Headphone (1) arriving on the 1st of July.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean Nothing’s lineup is ‘complete’. The disruptive startup first burst to the scene with TWS audio gear, then smartphones, and then budget gear with their CMF lineup. They’re all set to launch their first over-ear headphones next month, but we personally think the company’s lineup is missing one crucial product. No, not a laptop, not a tablet, not a VR headset. A tracking device.
Design: Ajith Sree Madhav
There are 5 reasons we believe a Nothing Tag (1) would be the perfect next piece in the Nothing product catalog puzzle. Here’s what they are:
1. Current Trackers Look Like Trash
Yes, trackers are auxiliary devices – they’re made to be attached TO objects, not be the object themselves… but would it kill to have a tag that looks cool? The AirTags are boring white pills that can, to the greatest extent, be customized merely by laser-engraving emojis or names onto the plastic outer shell. Don’t even get me started with Chipolo and Tile trackers, they literally look like cheap keychain danglers you get from your landlord when you rent an apartment.
The Nothing Tag (1), as demonstrated in this concept created by Ajith Sree Madhav, looks like a gorgeous bite-sized piece of tech. It doesn’t distract, but it doesn’t disappear either. It has character, charisma, and a design that enshrines Nothing’s ‘fun-meets-transparent’ design ethos. This one bares the entire tracking chipset underneath a strong transparent plastic shell, feeling highly reminiscent of the Phone (1) and (2)’s unique barebones design. In an ocean of AirTags, Galaxy Tags, and Chipolo/Tile trackers, I’d choose a Nothing Tag (1) every day of the week.
2. True Cross-Platform Experience
The object tracker market is, let’s face it, a walled garden – an oligopoly of Apple AirTags, Samsung SmartTags, and Tile, each guarding its turf. Want to find your keys? Great, but only if you’re already drinking the Kool-Aid of their ecosystem. The Nothing Tag (1) flips the bird to that. Imagine a tracker playing nice with Android, iOS, and EVEN your dusty Windows laptop, a true digital citizen. It’s not merely about finding your stuff; it’s about escaping the corporate leash. By opening up APIs for developers, a Nothing Tag (1) could spark a Cambrian explosion of community-built features, turning a simple tracker into a platform for the creatively rebellious.
3. A Community-Driven Modular Utopia
When I saw that Apple had the audacity to charge $400-something for a Hermès accessory for the AirTag on its own website, I knew we were heading down a horrible path. Cut to the CMF Phone 1 and 2, which did the opposite – creating an open framework for people to design their OWN accessories for their phone, and it really did feel like order in the universe was restored again. The Nothing Tag (1)’s slim design opens up even more possibilities for modular accessories that allow your Tag (1) to easily attach to a variety of objects, from your laptop to your keys, remote, or even something as silly as your spectacles case. Nothing has always been a community-centric company, and the Tag (1) could be yet another example of how the company rallies its users to elevate the UX of their own products – not in a gatekeeping way, but rather, in a manner that is accessible to everybody.
4. Gamified Location and Community Finding
Remember when phones were just… rectangles? Then came the Nothing Phone, with its Glyph Interface, turning notifications into a light show, a burst of personality in a sea of sameness. The Nothing Tag (1) could take that same spirit and run wild. Okay, maybe we’re not talking about full-blown Glyph integration (though picture synchronized lights on your phone guiding you to your keys!), but the underlying philosophy applies. Let’s get ambitious. What if Nothing harnessed the power of its community? Reward users who help locate other people’s lost Tag (1) items with Karma points, exclusive wallpapers, or even discounts on future products. Suddenly, you’re not just finding your keys; you’re participating in a real-world MMORPG, fueled by misplaced belongings and the kindness of strangers. It’s like Pokémon Go, but for your stuff. This whole gamified tracking concept, the community-powered finding, is about injecting a dose of fun into a mundane task. If the Glyph Interface made your phone feel a little less cold and sterile, a Nothing Tag (1) could do the same for the anxiety of losing your stuff.
5. Aggressive Pricing and Value Bundling
Let’s talk economics because, at the end of the day, that matters. Apple wants you to buy into their ecosystem, which means a $20 AirTag might sound cheap, but not when you realize it’s tethered to a minimum $799 iPhone. Nothing plays a different game. Their philosophy is about accessible tech. The Phone (1) starts at a reasonable $359, signaling a commitment to value. Now, imagine a Nothing Tag (1) priced at, say, $10. Suddenly, you’re bringing Apple-level “find my” functionality to an entirely new audience – the budget-conscious, the Android faithful, the ones who don’t want to shell out a fortune to keep track of their keys… all packaged in a design that doesn’t feel like a cheap plastic 3D-printed block, or a white case for your contact lenses.
The post 5 Reasons Why Nothing Tag (1) Tracking Device Should Be The Company’s Next Product first appeared on Yanko Design.