04/11

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.

---Jony Ive

01 Interview of Carl Pei -- the founder of NOTHING

The Perfect Imperfection of Design

Today I watched an interview with Carl Pei, the founder of NOTHING.

The first time the NOTHING phone caught my eye was in London SOHO. I walked past a store and was instantly drawn to the design of the phone and earphones — clean, transparent, and beautifully minimal. From that moment, I started to learn more about the brand.

What impressed me most wasn’t just the appearance, but the interaction experience. With NOTHING, users don’t need to constantly scroll their screens to check who sent a message or how long their Uber will take to arrive.

Instead, all the key information appears through lights on the back of the phone. This simple idea redefines how people use their devices — it’s about less distraction and more awareness.

I believe Carl Pei’s approach perfectly captures my favourite quote from Jony Ive:

“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”

What also inspired me was hearing that even Carl Pei faced difficulties during production. Some factories struggled to understand the design, which caused delays and extra costs. It reminded me that innovation always meets resistance — especially when it challenges the standard manufacturing process.

I truly appreciate that, even today, there are still brands creating new ideas in hardware design, not only in user interfaces. I can imagine how difficult it was to decide to put lights on the back of the phone — there was no reference to rely on, no example to follow. It was a brave, original move.

Carl Pei also mentioned that he used to work at OPPO and OnePlus. Coincidentally, my first smartphone was an OPPO. I loved it because of its simple design and how incredibly thin it felt in my hand.

Among NOTHING’s designs, I like Phone (2) the most — the two cameras look like a pair of eyes, giving the phone a sense of life.

I also like Phone (3). Even though its camera placement breaks conventional design rules, that’s exactly what attracts me. It feels unique and slightly mysterious — like something that invites you to spend more time getting to know it. It keeps the experience fresh, every day.

What I Learned

The biggest thing I learned from Carl Pei and his team is to be brave in design.They have a rule for designers:

“Doubt everything. Don’t assume things should be the way they are. Don’t trust anything until you’ve seen and tested it yourself.”

I also love the relationship between NOTHING and its fans.

When I read through the user comments, I noticed that people shared honest feedback — and the designers actually replied, thanking them and promising to improve. Of course, some users mentioned that after a year of use, dust might get inside or that the camera isn’t professional enough.

That level of communication builds a real sense of trust and community. NOTHING gives its users faith that a phone doesn’t have to be like an iPhone — it can be cooler, bolder, and more fun.

Questions That Stay With Me

1. Is it truly sustainable for a phone company to encourage people to use their phones less?I love this idea, but I still wonder whether it could become a risk for the business model.

   I find this counterintuitive positioning and anti-overuse narrative really exciting, but at the same time, I can’t help wondering — are we being led from one form of addiction into another?

2. Innovation is wonderful, but what happens when a design moves into large-scale production? Creative ideas often face new challenges once they reach the factory floor.

   But I believe the good community helps, cause the target users are smart and honest.

02 Thinking of the Chinese brand Vanilla Mountain

Designing Belief: When Culture Meets Commerce

I’ve started to notice that more and more Chinese design brands are planning to explore overseas markets.

When I was listening to the podcast Slow Brand, I heard about the story of Vanilla Mountain. The founder is someone I’ve followed since I was 19 on Weibo. She’s a Christian, and Vanilla Mountain is clearly a faith-based brand — though not in an overt way. For understandable reasons, they keep it subtle, but if you look closely, you can tell that most of their products are inspired by the Bible.

That really resonated with me, because it’s something I once wanted to do myself. I think it’s brave that they did it — and even opened a coffee shop.

I especially admire their courage, because such a choice inevitably divides customers into three groups:

1. Christians who love it;

2. Non-Christians who appreciate the concept;

3. Non-Christians who strongly dislike it.

   
   

This makes me think about a few questions:

1. Does this kind of reaction happen only in certain countries, like China, where some non-Christians might strongly reject products that carry words or ideas from the Bible?

2. And when we build a brand connected to a specific religion, should we express it openly, or keep it subtle?

   I’m not sure whether softening or simplifying faith-based messages—distilling them into universally acceptable values just to reach a broader audience—is truly the right direction.For example, when we speak only about love but avoid mentioning judgment or righteousness, are we helping more people understand, or are we deepening the misunderstanding?

   
   

   This is something I’ve been reflecting on for a long time. At this moment, I start to understand why this area still feels like a blue ocean—why most religious-themed products simply print a few Bible verses or slogans in a rather direct and superficial way. It’s because they never really tried to expand beyond their existing community.

   To communicate faith through design without losing its depth or integrity might be one of the hardest challenges—and that’s exactly what makes it worth exploring.

That is all for today welcome discussion.