U.K.-based consumer tech company Nothing is setting its sights on the U.S., with ambitions of taking on Apple's iPhone. The startup, the hardware venture of Carl Pei — co-founder of Chinese mobile phone maker OnePlus — is in early conversations with American carriers about launching a new smartphone in the U.S., Pei told CNBC, without naming any of the carriers. In July, Nothing launched Phone (1), a mid-range device with a design, price and specs similar to Apple's entry-level iPhone SE. The company, which is backed by iPod creator Tony Fadell and Alphabet's VC arm GV, has only launched its…