Through a new video posted on their YouTube channel, Nothing has announced that the initial sale period of their upcoming smartphone, Phone (1), would be limited to invite only.
In the video, Nothing says that this will help get the smartphone in the hands of people that "deserve it the most", and company founder Carl Pei said that the company had two options when deciding on a path for sale, either wait and accumulate enough stock to sell the device in large quantities or use an invite-only system, which will help them keep their inventory in check and control sales.
The invite-only system isn't new, it has been employed by both Xiaomi and OnePlus in the past, but it isn't exactly the most convenient way to buy a smartphone.
You either register and hope you get an invite, or get an invite from someone else who has already bought the phone. Personally, I would have preferred if they had just waited and accumulated enough stock.
While it makes sense for the company to do this to predict and anticipate stocks, it is a hassle for the end consumer. The weird marketing pull of sending the phones to users who "deserve it the most" is also sure to rub people the wrong way.
Nothing will showcase their smartphone in an event, announced for July 12. The phone will then be sold exclusively through Flipkart, thought it remains to be seen how the invite-only sale period affects that.
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