Carl Pei, the co-founder of OnePlus, quit his role in the company and found success in ‘Nothing’, the new smartphone in town. Motivated by the desire to blur the lines between technology and humans, Pei dared to revolutionize the way we interact with technology. Instead of adding complexity to the already saturated smartphone market, he chose to subtract. And in doing so, he introduced an innovative piece of technology to the world that reduces the amount of time users interact with their phones and changes it significantly. His success is remarkable. But what is noteworthy are the qualities that he embodies as an entrepreneur. His originality and passion, combined with his ability to find his niche and offer value, were his stepping stones in making ‘Nothing’ a massive hit. 

From an early age, Pei was the first to buy and use the latest gadgets, truly enjoying the potential of cutting-edge technology. Even as a teenager, Pei had the skill to build websites that were qualitatively different from his counterparts. While his parents forced him to study economics and get a ‘real job’, Pei never lost his enthusiasm for technology. Eventually, he had his big breakthrough in the tech world when Meizu, one of the best Chinese smartphone companies, offered him a role in their marketing team. Eventually, Pei joined Oppo in 2012, after which he co-founded OnePlus with Pete Lau, becoming the creator of the most celebrated smartphone in the world. 

However, Pei’s discomfort with smartphone technology began to take its roots. As tech companies began turning users into products, Pei firmly held the opposite view and flipped the model on its head. He believed that people are not the product, as most app companies are attempting to make them. Rather, he stood for the idea that people should be able to use technology freely instead of being manipulated by it. With ‘Nothing’, Pei introduced a smartphone that aims to give back control to the user, ensuring that technology serves humans and not the other way around. 

Why does ‘Nothing’ deliver Pei’s vision? A fusion of software and hardware with a glyph interface, the phone is minimalistic in function and design. The glyph system uses light indicators for essential notifications, allowing users to check their phones less frequently. The phone’s backlights signal everything from charging status to who’s calling. The backlights also connect to popular food and ride hailing apps, signaling the time their food or ride will arrive. Moreover, the phone’s bland and monochromatic interface is purposely non-distracting, reducing the temptation to mindlessly scroll through apps. This minimalist approach allows users to use the phone only when necessary. Through ‘Nothing’, Pei renewed a purpose in using our phones, pushing back against the tendency to use them mindlessly.

What makes Pei’s success unique? The answer lies in his ability to do what has already been done in a way that is refreshingly different. Pei did not reinvent the smartphone. He didn’t pack the device with unnecessary features and cutting-edge gimmicks. Instead, he asked a crucial question: How can people use their phones purposefully and efficiently? The answer wasn’t more apps or features, but an opportunity to take control over the time people spend on their phones and create a space for life outside of the screen. 

These are the key qualities that contributed to his remarkable accomplishment:

1. Originality: Pei’s ability to think inside the box but do it from an entirely new perspective. His innovation is not novel, but he found a way to do what has already been done in a completely different way. 
2. Passion for technology: Pei’s love for tech is evident, but it’s his willingness to think differently within an existing framework that sets him apart. 
3. Niche discovery: In an industry where smartphones are constantly competing for attention, Pei found his niche in simplicity. Rather than adding to what has already been done, his success lay in simplifying a lifestyle that has become increasingly complex. 
4. Offering value: At its core, the nothing phone provides users with value. It offers a refreshing digital experience, offering users peace of mind and control in a world that is constantly vying for their attention. 

While these are qualities that any good entrepreneur must have for success, Pei’s approach to doing something new has another significant characteristic: his ability to think in terms of ‘people’ and not merely in terms of the ‘product’. The key to his innovation lay in his ability to identify a ‘need’ that smartphone users have in our world today and work towards meeting that need. And the Nothing phone is only a means to accomplish such a purpose. Although Pei’s motivation also lay in making money as an entrepreneur, his approach to giving a valuable thing to society is worth our attention. By envisioning a world where smartphone technology serves us purposefully rather than controlling us, Pei displayed his genius by priositizing people, especially a pressing need that had to be addressed. His success ultimately did not lie in creating the Nothing phone but in rethinking our relationship with technology and prioritizing the people who would benefit from it.  

_________________________________________

Written by Roselina Vundi