Nothing’s new AI widget is trying to make its CFO a news star

Enlarge (credit: Julian Chokkattu/WIRED)

Nothing has a new smartphone—the Phone (2a) Plus—nearly identical to the Phone (2a) it released earlier this year, but with slightly beefed-up specs. It costs $399 and is available in the US through the same beta program. But it isn't the new Android handset we find most interesting, it's the company's new widget.

The “News Reporter” widget, available by default on all Nothing and CMF smartphones plus other Android and iOS devices via the Nothing X app, lets you quickly play a news bulletin summarized by artificial intelligence. It is read out by the synthesized voice of Tim Holbrow, the company's chief financial officer. (Nothing is using ElevenLabs' tech for sound synthesis and output.) As soon as you tap the widget, you're greeted by a soothing British voice:

"Welcome to Nothing News, where the only thing we take seriously is not taking anything seriously. I'm Tim, your CFO and reluctant news reader. Today, we're making something out of nothing, because that's literally our job.”