Here’s what Nothing Phone 3’s Glyph Matrix interface can do

After weeks of teasing and hyping, Nothing has just launched the Nothing Phone 3. Not only does the phone sport the signature Nothing design language, it also takes it up a notch with an asymmetrical and quirky back panel. One of the big highlights on the back of the phone is that the Glyph Interface is gone, and in its place we have the new Glyph Matrix.

While the Glyph Interface was a series of LED lights on the back of previous Nothing phones, the Glyph Matrix is a straight-up monochrome micro-LED display comprising 489 individually firing LEDs.

Nothing says it is designed to reduce screen time, but I guess they don’t count this as a screen. Despite claiming that they “killed the Glyph Interface,” the company keeps using the term interchangeably to denote the Glyph Matrix, too, which is confusing.

As to what it can do, Glyph Matrix can show app-specific alerts, contact-based notifications, and real-time progress indicators. Users can assign custom icons to contacts, showing pixelated avatars when messages arrive. Further, the company is also promising a caller ID feature (coming this month through an OTA update), which will allow users to long-press the Glyph Button to show the contact name or number during calls.

Other Glyph Interface features include:

• Camera Countdown: A visual countdown when using the camera timer
• Glyph Torch: Using the Glyph Matrix as a fill light
• Volume Indicator
• NFC animation

If you want to have some fun, there are also Glyph Toys, which are tools and micro-games that run on the micro-LED display. These are the ones Nothing is highlighting:

• Glyph Mirror: Use the rear display to perfectly frame selfies.
• Digital Clock: Displays the time in 12 or 24-hour formats.
• Battery Indicator
• Stopwatch
• Solar Clock
• Leveller
• Spin the Bottle
• Rock Paper Scissors
• Magic 8 Ball

All these are accessible and controlled through a dedicated Glyph Button on the rear — the circular button at the halfway point of the back, in the same column as the Glyph Matrix. Nothing is also launching a public SDK that is available for further creation. It isn’t immediately clear if all of these Toys are available on the phone right away, so stay tuned for our review, where we will check it out.

Wrapping up the quirky but functional back of the Phone 3, there’s also a recording light. The red square in the middle of the phone’s back now lights up and blinks whenever you capture video or use the voice recorder. Voice recorder support is also coming through the July OTA update, so stay tuned.