Nothing Phone 2a has been confirmed – but it might fall short of expectations
Nothing like we were expecting
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Nothing has confirmed it’s working on aPhone 2a, but according to the information it has provided via a community update, the phone may not be a full flagship.
Nothing’s latest community update videofeatured a roundup of Nothing news but the highlight was co-founder Akis Evangelidis teasing the Nothing Phone 2a and confirming the name.The project is codenamed Aerodactyl after the Gen 1 Pokémon which resembles a pterosaur. Co-founderCarl Peiteased the name in a post on X last week, which led many to speculate if Nothing was releasing a collab phone with Pokémon.
🔜 https://t.co/udHKxkwJx6 pic.twitter.com/LtjiznuLU0January 24, 2024
While not going into details about specs Evangelidis did state the Nothing Phone 2a will focus more on what he called “core user needs” like camera and performance, and would deliver a clear upgrade toNothing Phone 1. Interestingly, he didn’t refer to it as an upgrade toNothing Phone 2,which suggests the Phone 2a could sit between Phone 1 and Phone 2 offering midrange specs behind the already ageing flagship Phone 2.The Phone 2a potentially being a midrange device and not a replacement for the Phone 2 would also match with a recent post on X from reliable leakerRoland Quandtwho stated the Phone 2a would feature two models 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage as well as 12GB RAM with 256GB storage claiming it will cost around $432 / £340 / AUS$660.
Nothing Phone (2a)8/128GB 12/256GBWhite or BlackSub 400 Euro price for base model.December 28, 2023
This could affect how well the Phone 2a can compete in the Android market as flagships like theOnePlus 12andSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultrahave adopted the latestSnapdragon 8 Gen 3chip while Nothing’s flagship is using the olderSnapdragon 8+ Gen 1that launched back in 2022 putting it several steps behind.
No visuals or teaser images were shared showing the Phone 2a’s design. But given the similarities between Phone 1 and Phone 2, it’s likely to feature Nothing’s signature design which incorporates the Glyph system on the back like previous models.
Evangelidis also talked about the two sides of Nothing’s community, with one half being very tech savvy and others being more focused on the core smartphone functionality, which could be another hint to the Phone 2a’s paired-down specs.Joseph Horton, a technologist at Nothing also announced the release of the Glyph developer kit for Nothing’s Glyph lighting interface on the back of both Phone and Phone 2, allowing users to develop apps and functions using the lighting system.
In short, it would appear that the next steps for Nothing’s smartphones seem to be more centered on two segments of its community, which could hint at more customizable phones for some and more practical and affordable handsets for others.
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James Ide was a writer for TechRadar specializing in phones and tablets, having previously worked at The Daily Mirror since 2016, covering news and reviews.
James loves messing with the latest tech, especially phones due to their incredibly rapid pace of development.
When not surrounded by various devices and/or tinkering with gadgets while putting them through their paces, James has a love of handheld consoles.
He is almost the textbook definition of a geek, who loves sci-fi, comics, games and of course, all things tech. If you think you have a story for him or just want to challenge him at Smash Bros, get in touch.
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