Transferring files from one device to another can be a huge pain, especially if it involves moving them between different ecosystems that tend to be locked down to outsiders. Modern tools like QuickShare and AirDrop have certainly helped, but there is no single all-encompassing file transfer tool just yet, which is why the prospect of Nothing's new Warp tool was particularly interesting.

Nothing Warp promises to offer AirDrop-style file transferring between Android, Windows, Linux and macOS, which makes it quite an open tool in the grand scheme of things. Unfortunately, almost as soon as it was released, Nothing pulled all evidence of the app without any explanation.

Nothing Warp didn't work with a direct link between devices, which is how QuickShare and AirDrop operate. Instead, it used Google Drive as a bridge, allowing users to transfer files and links between devices logged in to the same Google account.

According to the few who managed to test Warp before it was pulled, the system worked quite well — especially for smaller files. However, the fact that it effectively automated the use of Google Drive as the middleman meant you had to approve a bunch of different permissions before the system would work.

That said, using Google Drive is a pretty clever workaround. It wins from a privacy perspective, since everything is sent via your personal Drive account rather than some random anonymous server. It also means that it should, theoretically, be available on any device (or browser) with a Google Drive app.

The fact that it's yet another file-sharing app isn't ideal, but if Warp works as well as people have said, then it should be a helpful option for those who need to share files across multiple devices. Assuming, of course, that Nothing undeletes the tool at some point in the near future.

It's not clear why Nothing has deleted everything relating to Nothing Warp's existence. The blog post announcing Warp's release has been deleted, and it appears to have been expunged from all relevant app stores — though Google search results still link to those now defunct pages.

It's easy to speculate about potential issues, such as technical problems or legal trouble, but the only thing we know for sure is that the app did exist for a short time and now doesn't. I have contacted Nothing for clarification and will update when I hear back.

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You don't need to spend over $200 to get good sound quality — just look at the Bose QuietComfort and the Nothing Ear (3). These earbuds cost $179 each, and during sales events, like Black Friday, you can get them for even cheaper. Both are excellent at delivering nuanced vocals and powerful bass, and both are good at blocking out external sounds with solid ANC.

I reviewed the QuietComfort back in 2025, and now in 2026, I've finishing reviewing the Ear (3). I awarded both pairs 4-star ratings in their respective reviews. This got me thinking, "Is one better than the other?" Chances are, you're probably going to go for the QuietComfort because Bose is a household name. But I don't think you should write Nothing off so quickly.

If you're on the hunt for a fantastic pair of earbuds but don't want to spend more than $180, I'm here to make that decision easier for you. I put the QuietComfort and the Ear (3) through their paces in this face off to find out which is best value for money. Spoiler alert: it's closer than you think.

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Specs compared

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Price

Both the Bose QuietComfort and the Nothing Ear (3) cost the same in the U.S. and in the U.K. You can grab the QuietComfort for $179 at Amazon U.S. / £179 at Argos U.K., and the Ear (3) for $179 / £179 at Amazon. Since the QuietComfort have been out for longer, you can often find them for $129 / £129 during sales events. The Ear (3) are yet to receive a substantial price drop.

The QuietComfort and the Ear (3) do more than enough to justify their individual price tags, as you'll soon see throughout this comparison, so we'll call this round a tie.

Winner: Tie

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Design

The most noticeable difference between the Bose QuietComfort and the Nothing Ear (3) is the design, as they look vastly different from one another. The QuietComfort have a rounded design with rubber ‘stability bands’ that aid the earbuds' secure fit. Each bud weighs 0.29oz. An important thing to note is that the QuietComforts' look fairly bulky, even though they aren't that heavy. They protrude out of your ears, and while there isn't anything wrong with that, it might not be everyone's cup of tea.

The Ear (3), on the other hand, sport your classic drop-stem design — you know, the one you find on the likes of the Apple AirPods Pro 3. They look futuristic, keeping in line with the British brand's sci-fi design philosophy, and feature see-through plastic. They look very cool, and they're comfortable too, with each bud weighing just 0.18oz. As opposed to the QuietComfort, they look more inconspicuous as they don't bulge out.

Both pairs of earbuds are mighty comfortable, and I haven't experienced any discomfort wearing either of them. I asked my partner, who uses the QuietComforts as her daily drivers, to try the Ear (3) and she said she almost preferred them over Bose's offering.

Touch controls on both the QuietComfort and the Ear (3) are fairly straightforward but it's worth noting that while you can use voice commands on the former, they're a bit too sensitive to these, and will often trigger on their own. The Ear (3) don't suffer from this problem, winning them the crown in this round.

Winner: Nothing Ear (3)

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Features & connectivity

Both the Bose QuietComfort and the Nothing Ear (3) are chock-full of features. They both feature multipoint connectivity so you can connect them to two devices simultaneously. Each pair utilizes Bluetooth 5.4 for seamless wireless connectivity, but here's the kicker. The QuietComforts support AAC and SBC codecs but there's no aptX or lossless support. The Ear (3), on the other hand, feature LDAC, if that's something that matters deeply to you.

Other similarities between the two include effective wear detection, Google Fast Pair, Find My features, and extremely detailed and user-friendly companion apps. In terms of waterproofing and dust protection, the Ear (3) are better because they're IP54-rated as opposed to the QuietComforts being only IPX4 rated, so the latter aren't protected against dust. By a narrow margin, the Ear (3) win this round once again.

Winner: Nothing Ear (3)

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Sound quality

I'll be honest with you: I will never recommend you spending any amount of money on a pair of earbuds that doesn't make music sound like angels are singing. Thankfully, both the Bose QuietComfort and the Nothing Ear (3) warrant recommendations here as they're both outstanding. The QuietComforts have a frequency response range of 20Hz-20KHz while the Ear (3) have a range of 20Hz-40KHz — so both cover the entire spectrum of human hearing.

In terms of vocals and the upper ranges, both the QuietComforts and the Ear (3) are excellent, delivering nuanced sound packed with plenty of detail. For instance, on the QuietComforts, Mika's high notes in 'Grace Kelly' sound pleasant, controller and never so shrill that they pierce through the rest of the track. On the Ear (3), Emily Armstrong's breathy vocals and screams in 'IGYEIH' by Linkin Park sound layered and wide, with great instrumental and vocal separation.

Listening to 'No Chances' by Twenty One Pilots first on the QuietComforts and then on the Ear (3) revealed practically no differences. The mid- and sub-bass was textured and I could feel a steady, vibrating pressure in my ear canal through both earbuds. It also felt like I was engulfed by the driving bassline, which made for a thoroughly immersive listening experience.

While the Ear (3) and the QuietComforts are mostly on equal footing when it comes to sound quality, the Ear (3) have a tendency to make the treble sound a tad harsh at times. It isn't surprising as the Ear (3) utilize a 'V' equalizer curve so the treble can sound overzealous when this happens. In 070 Shake's 'Skin and Bones,' the "chkkk" sound of the hi-hats and cymbals pierced through the track. Though not unpleasant, it wasn't particularly enjoyable.

This is never the case on the QuietComforts. The QuietComforts' sound profile is well-balanced and refined throughout the frequency range. The winner is, therefore, clear. Sorry, Nothing.

Winner: Bose QuietComfort

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): ANC

When it comes to active noise cancellation (ANC), there's a clear winner, and I don't think you need me to spell it out, but I'll do it anyway. The Bose QuietComfort win, easily. Look, Bose is the king of ANC and it's something we've all known for a while now. Whether I'm indoors or on a busy street outdoors, the QuietComforts block out 90% of sounds, so I can go about my day in peace.

This isn't to say the Nothing Ear (3)'s ANC is bad. It's very good, actually. Indoors, at least. With the Ear (3) in my ears, I can't hear the sound of my very loud mechanical keyboard, the kettle boiling or the doorbell ringing. This is also the case with the QuietComforts. Both pairs of earbuds create excellent seals to ensure no noise makes it through.

But the reason the QuietComforts win is because the Ear (3) aren't as effective outdoors. When I wear them outside, I can still hear cars whizzing past me, and the sound of the bus rattling. With the QuietComforts? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. The ANC is so good on the QuietComforts that it makes you feel lonely.

Winner: Bose QuietComfort

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Call quality

When it comes to call quality, both the Bose QuietComfort and the Nothing Ear (3) are excellent, as both ensure that your voice is heard loudly and clearly on the other end. Having tested both back-to-back on a call with my partner, she said that she could hear me properly through both.

But the Ear (3) have an ace up their sleeve. Their charging case features a ‘Super Mic’ dual-microphone system which you can use by holding the 'Talk' button on the case (when the earbuds are in your ears). You can then hold up the case to your mouth and speak into it, and the 'Super Mic' will cancel out 95dB of noise so that only you can be heard. In my testing, this worked exceptionally well, as my partner said she couldn't hear the public's chatter or the cars going past me.

However, is it actually an advantage? Because the QuietComfort, without their own 'Super Mic' feature, effectively cancel out ambient noise so that only you can be heard. The mic on the QuietComforts' is just as good if not better than the 'Super Mic' on the Ear (3), so we'll call this round a draw.

Winner: Tie

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Battery life

I'm not exaggerating when I say the Nothing Ear (3)'s battery life is disappointing because that's exactly what it is: subpar and underwhelming. And the Bose QuietComforts have them easily beat. With ANC enabled in my testing, the Ear (3) died after 5 hours, and they're officially rated for 5.5 with an additional 16.5 hours from the charging case.

The QuietComforts, on the other hand, comfortably lasted me nearly 9 hours, and they're officially rated for 8.5 with an additional two and a half charges from the case. The QuietComforts are far more reliable, and though Bose doesn't specify how long they can last with ANC off, we can safely assume it's a long time — the Ear (3) can last 10 hours with an additional 28 hours from the case when ANC is disabled.

Winner: Bose QuietComfort

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Verdict

There's no denying that the Nothing Ear (3) are extremely competent earbuds. I've absolutely loved testing them and I've been using them ever since I reviewed them. But are they better than the Bose QuietComfort, the undisputed kings of mid-range ANC? By a tight margin, yes.

The QuietComforts win in the sound quality, ANC and battery life departments, while they're tied with the Ear (3) in the price and call quality rounds. While the Ear (3) win in the design, features and connectivity departments, when it comes down to it, the QuietComforts simply offer more bang for your buck.

Most people care the most about sound quality and ANC, and if you're one of those folks, then the QuietComforts are easily the way to go. Still not convinced? Check out my full Bose QuietComfort review and Nothing Ear (3) review for the detail breakdown.

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Ratings scorecard

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I love earbuds. Recently, I tested the Nothing Ear (3) which are the British manufacturer's latest flagships. They're some of the best mid-range earbuds — and they cost just $179. You know what else costs $179? The Apple AirPods 4 with ANC.

Having tested both the AirPods 4 and the Ear (3), I can confidently say that I would choose the latter any day as they feel better in almost every way. But are they better than the AirPods Pro 3, which cost $50 more? The answer is yes and no.

So, should you buy the $179 Ear (3) or the AirPods 4? Or should you extend your budget a bit and spend $249 on the AirPods Pro 3 instead? Let's find out.

Where the Nothing Ear (3) shine

If you want cool-looking, sci-fi-inspired earbuds, the Nothing Ear (3) are a no-brainer. Unlike Apple's AirPods which, more or less, look the same, the Ear (3) carry the British brand's trademark futuristic design. Also, unlike the AirPods 4, the Ear (3) feature excellent noise-isolating eartips, which means that they offer a good degree of passive noise cancellation when active noise cancellation isn't enabled.

Personally, I've found the Ear (3)'s and the AirPods Pro 3's comfort level to be on par with one another. Both pairs of earbuds sit snugly in my ears, and neither pair fell out when I was walking briskly or headbanging. The AirPods 4, on the other hand, don't feature any eartips as they have an "open-fit" design. This, to me, is a major con, because the earbuds keep falling out when you move your head.

Another area the Ear (3) win big in, especially compared to the AirPods 4, is their innovative charging case which is fitted with a ‘Super Mic’ dual-microphone system. This cancels out 95dB of ambient noise, ensuring that you're the only one who can be heard loud and clear. The call quality, I found, is similar to the AirPods Pro 3, which feature an acoustic mesh on their mics to reduce wind buffeting.

If you're using the AirPods Pro 3 with Apple devices and FaceTime, you also get AAC-ELD speech codec for full HD voice quality. The difference is that regardless of whether you're using the Ear (3) with Android phones or iPhones, you'll get the same superb voice clarity, which makes the Ear (3) more versatile.

Where the AirPods 4 with ANC do better

One of the biggest pros of getting the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC over the Nothing Ear (3) is that the former get considerably discounted during sales events, like Black Friday. In the past, we've seen them drop to as low as $99 at Amazon. The Ear (3) are newer which means they haven't received major price drops yet, as the lowest we've seen them drop to is $148 at Amazon.

Another key winning area for the AirPods 4 is the earbuds' integration with the rest of Apple's ecosystem. If you don't want to spend a lot of money on, say, the AirPods Pro 3, you can grab the AirPods 4 during a big sale and call it a day. They work well with your MacBook, iPad, iPhone, iMac — whatever device you prefer.

The silicone eartips of the AirPods Pro 3 and the Ear (3) might not be everyone's cup of tea either, and some might prefer the AirPods 4's airy open-fit instead. I can see why, as you avoid the pressure of traditional eartips, and they can be better for environmental awareness too.

Similar to how my colleague and senior reviews writer, Erin, noted in her AirPods 4 versus Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and AirPods 4 versus Bose QuietComfort face-offs, I believe the AirPods 4 are good but they face just way too fierce competition from similarly priced earbuds. They're outclasses by the Ear (3) when it comes to sound quality (which I'll dive into next), ANC and comfort. If you're buying $179 earbuds at full price, the Ear (3) are the better choice.

Where the AirPods Pro 3 dominate

Last but certainly not least, let's talk about the AirPods Pro 3. These are, without a doubt, Apple's most advance earbuds and they do more than enough to justify their premium price tag — especially if you're already invested in Apple's ecosystem. They're on par with the Nothing Ear (3) when it comes to highly effective ANC and sheer comfort.

If it's long-lasting battery life you're after, the AirPods Pro 3 are the better choice as, with ANC on, they can last up to 8 hours (24 hours with charging case). Both the Ear (3) and the AirPods 4 with ANC are disappointing in this regard, as the Ear (3) last only 5.5 hours (22 hours with charging case) and the AirPods 4 last 4 hours (20 hours with charging case).

If it's full-bodied sound you're after, it's a close call between the AirPods Pro 3 and the the Ear (3). Both are well-endowed earbuds, and both deliver clean bass and refined mids and lows. The Ear (3), however, feature better low-end impact, and the sub- and mid-bass feel like they're engulfing you, especially in tracks like 'No Chances' by Twenty One Pilots and 'Money' by Pink Floyd.

This isn't to say that the bass on the AirPods Pro 3 is poor. The earbuds do well to make it sound like you're at a gig but the Ear (3) make it sound like you're standing next to a stadium subwoofer. But the AirPods Pro 3 are much better at delivering crisp, vibrant treble. The problem with the Ear (3)'s is that the treble cuts through the V curve equalizer, so hi-hats and percussion hits sound shrill, as I found in tracks like 'Skin and Bones' by 070 Shake. The AirPods Pro 3 don't suffer from this issue and offer a more balanced sound profile.

You can, of course, fix the Ear (3)'s overzealous treble via the user-friendly companion app, but if you don't want to bother with an additional app on your smartphone, the AirPods Pro 3 are the better choice — especially if you have an iOS device, but that goes without saying.

And the winner is...

Is there a clear winner between the Nothing Ear (3), the AirPods 4 with ANC, and the AirPods Pro 3? Alas, it's not that simple, as each pair of earbuds has its own pros and cons, so it really depends on what your preferences are and what you're looking for.

If you want a pair of mid-range earbuds that deliver phenomenal bass and sport a sleek design, the Ear (3) should be your choice.

But if you don't want to pay full price for the Ear (3) and want a pair of earbuds that fits right into your Apple ecosystem — and can be found on sale most of the year — then the AirPods 4 with ANC should be a no-brainer.

The AirPods Pro 3 are worth the extra $50 simply because they offer well-rounded sound, effective ANC and peerless Apple integration.

Personally, though, as an Android user but also a MacBook owner, I'd pick the Ear (3), but that's just me. Which would you go for?

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The best wireless earbuds make you feel like you’re jamming to your favorite artists at a sold-out gig, and the Nothing Ear (3) are up there with the best. These are some of the best-looking earbuds I’ve ever used, as their sci-fi design that makes them stand out in a crowded market. Boasting ear-filling bass and nuanced vocals, the Ear (3) have made me love my most listened to artists even more.

One of the Ear (3)’s USPs is the innovative ‘Super Mic’ case which helps you sound loud and clear. The excellent, detailed companion app lets you customize nearly every aspect of the buds too. Even though battery life isn’t the best and the treble can sometimes sound overzealous, that doesn’t stop me from recommending them to music lovers.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Nothing Ear (3) review.

Nothing Ear (3) review: Specs

Nothing Ear (3) review: Price & availability

The Nothing Ear (3) are the British manufacturer’s flagship earbuds, and they succeed the Nothing Ear (2) ($149). They come in either Black or White, and sport the brand’s trademark futuristic design, which I’ll talk about in detail shortly. As Nothing’s most expensive earbuds at the time of writing, they retail for $179 / £179 at Amazon, and you can often find them for as cheap as $149 / £120 during sales events.

Since they cost just under $200, the Ear (3) compete with the likes of the Bose QuietComfort ($179), the Apple AirPods 4 ($179), and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 ($179). They’re also much cheaper than the Sony WF-1000XM6 ($329) so if you want a pair of mid-range, good-looking earbuds that provides balanced sound quality and effective ANC, the Ear (3) are the way to go.

Nothing Ear (3) review: Design

• Sleek, good-looking sci-fi design
• IP54 waterproof and dustproof
• Multipoint connectivity, Google Fast Pair, and more

I’ve used and tested a lot of earbuds, and little really stands out about most buds, like the Apple AirPods 4 or the Bose QuietComfort. This is why the Nothing Ear (3) feel like a sight for sore eyes. Nothing has made the eye-grabbing sci-fi aesthetic its trademark, and we’ve loved it on products like the Nothing Headphone (a) ($199) too.

The Ear (3) come in either Black or White. I tested the Black model with silver and dark grey accents, and my goodness do they look cool. I could gush about their design all day long but I won’t bore you. They look fairly similar to their predecessors, the Nothing Ear (2), with a drop-stem design and see-through plastic wrapped around each bud. Though they’re made of plastic, the Ear (3) don’t feel too plasticky or cheap. They look and feel premium and durable.

The top-notch build and design applies to the Ear (3)’s case too, which feels great to hold and it has a good weight to it as well. At 2.51oz, it doesn’t feel too light or heavy, and feels sturdier than the Bose QuietComforts’ plasticky case.

Design and build aside, the Ear (3) are mighty comfortable. Each earbud weighs just 0.18oz, so much lighter than the Bose QuietComfort (0.29oz), but similar to the AirPods 4 (0.15oz) and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 (0.16oz). The Ear (3) didn’t fall out of my ears regardless of what I was doing — walking briskly or headbanging even.

Controls & app

Controlling the Ear (3) is extremely easy. Everything, including changing tracks, answering/rejecting calls, and adjusting volume, is done by pinching and/or holding the stems on each bud. The instructions are clearly laid out in the manual included in the box and on the product page. It took me just a few minutes to get a hang of them. I also like that the earbuds make a short popping sound to let you know the command has been registered and executed.

Accompany the Ear (3) is the Nothing X app which gives you lots of control over the earbuds. It sports a clean interface and enables you to enable spatial audio, adjust the equalizer (in a lot of detail), change the controls, and create a Personal Sound where the earbuds are calibrated specifically to your ear canal.

Connectivity

The Ear (3) utilize Bluetooth 5.4 with support for SBC, AAC and LDAC codecs. LDAC support (Android only) is new and something that was missing on the Nothing Ear (2), and is missing from the similarly-priced Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and the Bose QuietComfort.

You also get multipoint connectivity to connect to two devices simultaneously, which let me swap between my phone and laptop as needed. You need to enable “Dual Connection” via the app first, though, which feels unnecessary. It’s easy enough to do, but why can’t it work out of the box, like on most other earbuds?

Extra features

Back to the good things. The Ear (3) also feature wear detection for automatic stopping/playback when removed/reinserted into your ears; and Google Fast Pair, meaning my Pixel paired within seconds of taking the buds out of their case.

Similar to the Ear (2), the Ear (3) are IP54-rated, which means that they’re protected against dust and can be used in the light rain and during workouts without risk. This is the same rating as the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and AirPods 4, and better than the IPX4-rated Bose QuietComfort. All in all, the Ear (3) are a great overall package.

Nothing Ear (3) review: Sound quality

• Powerful, meaty bass
• Clean and nuanced vocals
• Treble can be a little harsh at times

If it’s fantastic sound quality you’re after, the Nothing Ear (3) are extremely easy to recommend. Straight out of the box and without any EQ adjustments, the Ear (3) sound warm and nuanced, with plenty of detail to enjoy in the lower, mid and upper ranges. They’re fitted with 12mm dynamic drivers and cover a frequency response range of 20Hz-40KHz — so the entirety of the human hearing spectrum and then some. To test the earbuds, I listened to a range of songs on Qobuz, the best music streaming service for hi-res audio, with LDAC enabled on my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL.

The punchy bass is the real star in the Ear (3)’s wide soundstage, as the mid- and sub-bass sound powerful without being booming, and there’s plenty of low-end impact to enjoy. I played ‘No Chances’ by Twenty One Pilots, a bass-driven track, and through the Ear (3), it was a sonic treat. I was engulfed in the thump and the texture of the bass. The sub-bass in particular sounded outstanding, and I could feel a steady, vibrating pressure in my ear canal which mimicked the feeling of standing near a stadium subwoofer.

To test the vocals, I listened to ‘IGYEIH’ by Linkin Park. Emily Armstrong’s screaming pushes the limits of the Ear (3)’s hardware but the earbuds handle this extremely well. Through the Ear (3), the track sounded just as raw as the band intended, as Emily’s “yeah, yeahs” sound layered and wide. I could even hear the tiny clicks of her mouth opening and the sharp intakes of breath before screaming the lyrics, and the transition between her breathy bridge to the scream-o verse sounded clean and pleasant. Vocal and instrumental separation sounded phenomenal through these buds.

My only gripe with the Ear (3) — and it’s a small gripe, at that — is that the treble can be a tad overzealous and harsh at times. I found this to be the most prominent issue while listening to ‘Skin and Bones’ by 070 Shake. While I loved the bass, I could hear the “chkkk” sound of the hi-hats and cymbals piercing through the track. Though it wasn’t unpleasant, it certainly stood out, and it’s worth diving into the app to tweak it to your liking.

Listen along to my review with the Nothing Ear (3) testing playlist:

Nothing Ear (3) review: ANC

• Effective ANC indoors, and outdoors (kinda)
• Bose is still the king, though

The Nothing Ear (3) feature effective active noise cancellation, especially indoors. I couldn’t hear the kettle boiling, the doorbell ringing, or the clacky sounds of my mechanical keyboard. My partner had to wave in my face on three separate occasions because I simply couldn’t hear her. If you want to remain aware of your surroundings, there’s a transparency mode which can be quickly toggled by holding the right earbud’s stem.

Still, Bose remains the king of ANC, and I don’t think the Ear (3) beat the QuietComfort when it comes to blocking out noise. They do a great job, yes, but the QuietComfort are just too good. Despite strong indoor performance, the Ear (3) didn’t block noise that well outdoors, and on high ANC I could still hear cars whizzing past. The QuietComfort, on the other hand? They blocked out everything, even the rattling of the bus.

Nothing Ear (3) review: Call quality

• Innovative Super Mic feature
• Good call quality indoors and outdoors

One of the Nothing Ear (3)’s headline features is the ‘Super Mic’ dual-microphone system fitted into the charging case. It’s designed to enhance voice clarity by up to 95dB in noisy environments — you basically hold it up to your mouth and speak into it, like a TikTok content creator using a DJI Mic 3. The Talk button on the case activates the ‘Super Mic’ when the earbuds are, well, in your ears.

On calls with my partner, she said I sounded fine but there was a fair bit of disturbance from people chatting and cars going past me. I then tested out the ‘Super Mic’ by holding down the Talk button and recording myself indoors — as you can hear in the clip above, it cut out any disturbances to highlight my voice. Vocals are a little muffled, but nothing too bad.

Nothing Ear (3) review: Battery life

• Up to 38 hours with the case
• Rivals (and even cheaper models) feature longer battery lives
• Case can be charged wirelessly

My one bone to pick with the Ear (3) is about battery life. With ANC on, they’re rated for 5.5 hours and the case offers an additional 16.5 hours, for 22 hours in total. With ANC off, this jumps to 10 hours plus 28 case hours, so 38 hours in total. If you’re using LDAC, the stated battery life drops to 5.5 hours with ANC off and 3.5 hours with ANC on.

In my testing, the earbuds promptly died after 3 hours when I was listening to music with ANC on and LDAC enabled. With LDAC disabled and ANC disabled, I got 9 hours of playback time, which is an hour under Nothing’s figure.

In contrast, the Bose QuietComfort can last 8.5 hours on a single charge with ANC on. Heck, even the cheaper Sony WF-C710N ($119) last 8.5 hours with ANC on! But hey, at least the Ear (3) upstage the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 (5 hours with ANC on) and the Apple AirPods 4 (4 hours with ANC on). If you throw spatial audio into the mix, though, the Ear (3)’s battery life will take an even bigger hit.

Nothing Ear (3) review: Verdict

If you’re on the lookout for a pair of earbuds that make you headbang with their ear-filling bass and appreciate vocal artistry, the Nothing Ear (3) are the way to go. They sound just as good as they look, and they’re very pretty to look at. Comfortable for all-day long use and featuring an innovative ‘Super Mic’ for better call quality, these earbuds are very easy to recommend.

Granted, the battery life is nothing groundbreaking and the treble is a bit overzealous at times, but neither of those are dealbreakers, and they’re something I’m willing to overlook for the otherwise exceptional package. For $179, the Ear (3) give the Bose QuietComfort a run for their money.

Apple recently sent out invites to the next Apple event for March 4, which should include the iPhone 17e. However, Nothing has taken the chance to steal the limelight from Apple with a cheeky announcement of its own.

Usually, Apple reveals a stylized invitation poster that informs the press of when and where the event will take place, in this case, New York on March 4. Yet shortly after the release, Nothing CEO Carl Pei reposted the invitation, but included pink spray paint that showed a very different message.

Aside from looking very punk, the image informs Nothing fans that they should expect some news on March 5. While there isn’t any information on what devices will be announced, it’s likely going to be the rumored Nothing Phone 4a and Nothing Phone 4a Pro. This is due to the date, which matches the Nothing Phone 3a release date, and Nothing revealed that there will be no Nothing Phone 4 this year in a YouTube video.

What do know about the Nothing Phone 4a

There have been plenty of rumors around the next generation of Nothing phones, including the apparent Geekbench score for the Nothing Phone 4a posted by Abhishek Yadav on X. According to the information in the post, the Nothing Phone 4a could launch with a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chip as well as Android 16. The poster also noted that the phone was spotted with the Adreno 810 GPU.

Other leaks, reported on by GSMArena, indicate that the Nothing Phone 4a Pro could feature a 256GB storage option, with up to 12GB of RAM. However, there could be a 128GB option that only runs with 8GB of RAM. The leaks also revealed that the Nothing Phone 4a could offer the same options, both of which are similar to what was offered with the Nothing Phone 3a.

Carl Pei has also made some hints towards the new device, stating that the Nothing Phone 4a series will “take things close to a flagship experience.” This includes a complete overhaul of the phone, from the screens to the cameras, although the actual specs are still under wraps.

Whatever the plan is, it looks like we don’t have long to wait for the next generation of Nothing phones. So let us know in the comments if you’re looking forward to Nothing in March.

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One of my favorite things about using one of the best Android phones over an iPhone is that you can still root for an underdog. Sure, a Samsung or Pixel phone will always come with better specs but with a lesser-known brand you’re more likely to get a unique feature that reminds you why you didn’t just give in and get one of the best iPhones like everyone else.

After Google ditched its more collaborative Nexus phones for the in-house-designed Pixel, I, like many other Android users, was left twisting in the wind for a bit. I eventually moved to OnePlus phones, which promise flagship-level specs for less. Things were good for a while there, until the company integrated Oppo’s ColorOS with its own OxygenOS, at which point it felt like the magic was gone.

I did consider just getting a Pixel for a brief moment since, for me, nothing (no pun intended) tops stock Android. Then I came across a new startup founded by OnePlus’ co-founder, Carl Pei. This seemed like a return to the Nexus days, but with a twist. While Nothing’s devices feel like they’re running near-stock Android, Nothing OS takes things to a new level. It’s fast, responsive and well thought out, so I’ve never felt the need to install a third-party launcher.

I’ve now had my Nothing Phone 2 for almost two years, and while it has certainly served me well, I’ve been eagerly waiting to see what the company does next. Well, this week, I found out that the rumors and leaked renders of the Nothing Phone 3 were real. Though I was more than ready to hand over my hard-earned cash for Nothing’s latest device, one big omission with its new design is holding me back.

From Glyph Lights to Glyph Matrix

What immediately set the original Nothing phone and then its follow-up apart from the crowd was the distinct Glyph Interface on the back. Along with the company’s trademark transparent designs, these strips of LED light serve as a constant reminder that in a sea of all too similar looking smartphones, Nothing is actually thinking differently.

As the company has evolved, so too has the Glyph Interface on the back of its phones. Phone 1 debuted these one-of-a-kind lights and Phone 2 improved upon them by adding more lighting zones and giving you greater control over them. Even when Nothing decided to court the budget phone market with the Phone (2a) and then later with the Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro, the Glyph Interface came along for the ride, albeit in a smaller and simpler way.

While many people thought the next logical step would be to add RGB lighting to the Glyph Interface, Nothing clearly likes subverting expectations. I thought we might see more lighting zones, more customization options or something else entirely with the Phone 3. As it turns out, I was right. Just not in the way that I had hoped for.

Instead of improving upon the company’s now iconic Glyph Interface, it decided to ditch it entirely with the Nothing Phone 3. The only regular light that remains is actually a new one: a small red square underneath the phone’s cameras which lets others know that you’re currently recording a video. Instead, the Glyph Interface has been replaced with the new Glyph Matrix.

The Phone 1 and Phone 2’s light strips were featured prominently throughout the back of each device, but the Glyph Matrix is relegated to the top right corner. This tiny dot-matrix display does have a few tricks up its sleeve. It can show you the time, how much battery life you have left, and a number of other practical and entertaining widgets which Nothing is calling Glyph Toys.

I have to admit, at first, I thought a dot-matrix style display on the back of my phone would be a cool feature to have. That was until I learned that this new addition would mean giving up what has become my favorite hardware feature of the Nothing Phone 2, one that I use every single day.

Eye-catching but not nearly as useful

I’m sure if you were out in public and someone caught a glimpse of the Phone 3’s Glyph Matrix doing its thing, they’d be intrigued. From acting as a selfie mirror to flagging your notifications, there’s already quite a lot it can do. Likewise, you can also play games on it with others or even with the phone itself.

For instance, there’s a Glyph Toy for Spin the Bottle that completely foregoes the potential for broken glass, along with a Magic 8 Ball one that can give you quick, albeit vague, answers to all your burning questions. Then there’s Rock-Paper-Scissors where you and the Phone 3 go head to head in the zero-sum game.

That’s not all though, as Nothing has opened up its new Glyph Matrix to developers so that they can create their own custom Glyph Toys. While the Phone 2’s Glyph Interface did have third-party support, it was only with the device’s Glyph Progress feature which used one of the light bars to let you know when your Uber or food delivery from Zomato were arriving.

I could easily see both seasoned and new developers alike creating some really cool Glyph Toys down the line. However, with what’s available now, the Phone 3’s Glyph Matrix feels more like a gimmick than a true replacement for Nothing’s Glyph Interface.

When I decided to buy the Phone 2, I thought that its Glyph Interface was a gimmick too. There’s no party trick quite like turning on the lights on the back of your phone or even having them sync to the music you’re playing using Nothing’s Music Visualization feature. As I got acquainted with my Phone 2 though, its light strips quickly became more than a gimmick and turned into an essential feature I rely on daily.

Besides seeing the progress of your rideshare or your food delivery, you can also use the Phone 2’s Glyph Progress feature with Google Calendar, though this integration did come quite a few months after the phone’s release. As someone who works remotely and is constantly jumping from one video call to the next, this light that gets smaller as my next meeting approaches has really come in handy. I still get regular notifications from Google 10 minutes before each of my meetings, but seeing the light slowly get smaller on the back of my phone is less obtrusive and definitely a bit more fun.

Using your phone’s camera flash as a flashlight is something we’ve all grown accustomed to over the years, but through its Glyph Interface, Nothing gives you another way to quickly light up a dark room. You can still use the phone’s flash to light your way, but you also get the option to use its Glyphs as a torch too. And yes, I do mean torch: Nothing is based in the UK, so we have to use the correct terminology.

What I like about the Glyph torch is that it’s a softer, less glaring light that I can quickly enable without blinding myself or others. As I’m a night owl by nature, I often find myself working late or doing other things around my house well after everyone else is asleep. Even with the best smart lights installed throughout my home, turning them off and on at night can be disruptive. This is why I’ve grown accustomed to using my Phone 2’s Glyph torch to light up the kitchen or even the garage in a pinch.

Before there was Music Visualization on the Phone 2, there was Glyph Composer. If you’re the type that still uses ringtones instead of leaving your phone on vibrate at all times like I do, then you can have the Phone 2’s Glyph Interface light up along with your ringtone. There are pre-set animations for the pre-installed ringtones, but with Glyph Composer, you can also make your own custom ones.

Even though I don’t personally use ringtones, I absolutely love Glyph Composer. Not only is it a great way to kill time while making your own music using a number of different sound packs, it’s also the perfect way to distract an upset toddler as I’ve learned from experience. I don’t let my son use or play with my phone normally but every now and then, I either show him the lights on the back of my phone as I try my best to play something close to a song, or if he’s being really good, I let him have a go at it.

In fact, while waiting to buy a SIM card during my recent trip to Taiwan for Computex 2025, I got incredibly bored in line. There was a little one a few people ahead of me and when I saw her getting fussy, I took out Glyph Composer and played for a bit. In a minute or so, she was giggling and soon enough I was up next at the sales counter.

Sticking with Nothing (for now)

Is the Phone 3’s polarizing design enough to make me abandon Nothing entirely? Absolutely not. However, my next phone upgrade is now more up in the air than I thought it would be just a few weeks ago.

I get that Carl Pei and Nothing are trying to do something new with the Phone 3, but I don’t understand why they dropped the Glyph Interface entirely in favor of the new Glyph Matrix. The smaller Glyph lights on the company’s cheaper a-series phones show that you can still do quite a lot with only a few strips of light.

If you look at the back of the Phone 3, there’s still plenty of empty space where a smaller but just as capable Glyph Interface could have fit nicely. Besides the touch capacitive button on the center-right that you use to control its Glyph Toys or swap between them, the middle and entire bottom half of the phone’s back is completely empty. I understand why the Glyph Matrix is in the top right corner for practical reasons, but given the device’s unconventional camera array, I think things could have been shifted around to incorporate both this new dot-matrix display and some familiar Glyph lights.

In addition to the lack of Nothing’s iconic Glyph Interface, there’s another elephant in the room with the Phone 3: its price. I expected to spend more for a phone that’s inching closer to flagship territory, but like with the Nintendo Switch 2, the Phone 3 is priced a bit too high in my opinion. With a starting price of $799, you’re at entry-level flagship pricing alongside phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 9. However, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset that Nothing picked for the Phone 3 is less capable than the top-grade silicon used in these other phones.

Waiting for a sale will take some of the sting out of the Phone 3’s price, but if I’m paying more than I did for my Phone 2, I shouldn’t be swapping a very useful feature for one that has yet to appear as more than a gimmick. Who knows, maybe we’ll see a Phone 3 Pro with the best of both worlds that has the new Glyph Matrix and Nothing’s Glyph Interface on the back. If not though, I might just hold out even longer to see what the company has in store for the Phone 4a or maybe even the Phone 4a Pro.

I haven’t lost hope in Nothing yet but ditching the Glyph Interface for the new Glyph Matrix is a decision that hasn’t won me over so far. Only time will tell, though and until then, I’ll be proudly rocking my Nothing Phone 2 until its last Android update.

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The Nothing Phone 3 is coming very soon, and should feature a whole new design. The question is, what is that design actually going to look like? Well, these newly leaked renders (via Android Headlines) show off the phone from just about every angle.

Unsurprisingly, Nothing is carrying on with the design style that it's best known for — with similarities to the Nothing Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro. You get the same semi-transparent look, and the unique arrangement of the rear camera array.

Admittedly there's also no visible Glyph Interface hardware, meaning that Nothing's trademark rear-mounted lights may not be coming. The company did warn us this would be happening.

However, there is an LED Glyph Matrix in the top right corner of the phone. The images show that being used as some kind of equalizer, which could add that unique "wow" factor to the phone in place of the Glyphs. There's also the opportunity for better personalization, thanks to the multitude of LED lights.

Color wise, if Android Headlines' info is accurate, we're looking at a choice of white, black or blue.

Nothing Phone 3a: Other leaked specs

I use the word leak quite lightly here, because Nothing has a habit of revealing a bunch of key phone specs ahead of the official launch. Like the fact the Phone 3 won't have a Glyph interface on the back.

One of those reveals is that the Phone 3 will be powered by a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset. While not quite as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Elite found in other flagship phones it's still a new chip that should prove better than other options. And for a cheaper price.

There's also confirmed to be a 50MP telephoto camera, and while we've not been given exact confirmation, rumor has it that the main and ultrawide lenses will have the same resolution.

The rumors also suggest that we'll get a 5,150 MAh battery, 100W wired fast charging and 15W wireless charging. And it's all packed into a 6.7-inch phone with a FHD+ OLED display.

We don't have long to find out, though, since the Nothing Phone 3 launch event is scheduled to take place next week on July 1 at 6 p.m. BST / 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT.

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Recently Nothing revealed the upcoming Nothing Phone 3, which is due to launch in July, wouldn't come with the company's trademark "Glyph interface" lights on the back. Those of you hoping for some kind of replacement are going to want to brace yourselves for disappointment.

Leaker Max Jambor just shared an image of what he claims is the Nothing Phone 3. While the camera design certainly looks like a Nothing phone, there's no sign of any Glyph lights or a substitute feature that does the same thing.

Glyph lights are a unique way of informing users when they have a notification, lighting up the back of the phone. The lights could also be used in tandem with the camera app, using the LEDs to offer much better lighting than a traditional single-LED flash. That also means the flashlight feature is stronger for the same reason.

Other impressive options include using the Glyphs as a music visualizer, a volume level indicator, a progress bar (which includes battery charging), and even a feature that lets you set your own custom light and sound alerts. A red LED light can similarly be used to show when the camera is recording.

It's a gimmick, there's no denying that, but it's definitely a cool thing to have on your phone — especially considering how versatile the Glyphs can be.

The Nothing Phone 3, on the other hand, just seems to have an ordinary-looking camera flash above the main camera lens.

Thankfully, though, it still maintains the translucent back and the unique design we've come to expect from Nothing's handsets. Plus, like the Nothing Phone 3A and 3A Pro, there are 3 cameras to take advantage of.

It'll be interesting to hear how Nothing explains the loss of the Glyph Interface on this phone, especially considering its rumored $800 price tag. But we'll have to wait until next month's launch event to find out.

In the meantime be sure to check out our Nothing Phone 3 hub for all the latest news and rumors about the phone.

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We finally have a base price for the upcoming Nothing Phone 3, but that price could be a major disappointment for many.

Revealed in a YouTube video released as part of Android Show: I/O Edition, Nothing CEO Carl Pei stated that the phone will cost £800. As it also recently confirmed that the Nothing Phone 3 would be coming to the U.S, which could mean we’re looking at a $1000-plus price tag on the other side of the Atlantic, although regional pricing is rarely 1:1. Pei also says that the Nothing Phone 3 will be the company's first “true flagship smartphone,” which is presumably the primary excuse for increasing the cost this much.

The Nothing Phone 2 price topped out at $799 for the highest configuration, and started at a more humble $599. Meanwhile, the Nothing Phone 3's $1,000 price tag sounds like it's for the basic configuration, which would make it noticeably more expensive than the iPhone 16 and the Galaxy S25's standard models. As such, it’s going to need to be a pretty impressive phone when it does release.

We don’t know much about the Nothing Phone 3's specs, but Carl Pei states that the “Phone 3 is coming this summer, and we’re going all-in—premium materials, major performance upgrades, and software that really levels things up.”

What would we expect for this price point?

In the past, Nothing aimed to offer a near-flagship experience but at a lower price point, and it did this by using older hardware. For instance, the Nothing Phone 2 launched with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 back in 2024. At this time, this chip was already two years old, but it still easily outperformed models like the Pixel 7a, which was released within the same period and at a similar price to the Phone 2. However, at $1000, we would expect the Phone 3 to come with the very best silicon available, which would likely be the Snapdragon 8 Elite.

We would also like to see some pretty major camera and image improvements. The majority of Nothing phones have featured the same two 50MP lenses for wide and ultrawide shots, which isn’t a bad layout overall. The Nothing Phone 3a did add a telephoto lens, so we’d hope the Nothing Phone 3 will feature one too.

But the problem is we've seen generally poor camera performance from Nothing phones. That can't be the case if the Phone 3 costs $1,000, or else users will look past it.

Hardware is only half the battle to be one of the best phones, as there is a lot of focus on AI. Carl Pei announced in the video that the upcoming NothingOS 3.0 is the company's vision for “how AI should work, not just bolted on, but built in.” There isn’t much detail on what this means, but it could indicate either a Nothing-made AI or deep Gemini integration into the device.

At this point, there are more questions than answers regarding Nothing’s next phone. However, it seems we won’t have to wait long for the official release. In the meantime, Google I/O is just around the corner and will likely feature a lot of news about Gemini and Google’s future plans.

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Nothing isn't the first brand that comes to mind when you think of the best Android phones but the upcoming Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro could do a lot to change your mind. The devices are set to officially launch in the coming days at Barcelona's Mobile World Congress but we've just been given a full look at what's coming.

Nothing itself has posted pictures of the back of the Nothing Phone 3a on social media and its website, confirming the horizontal rear camera, the return of the Glyph interface and a new dedicated hardware button.

"Essential Key"

That new hardware button is apparently called the "Essential Key" and will help users with AI-related tasks. Users will also be able to press and hold it to capture the screen or keep holding to record audio.

Whether or not it'll be mappable to different phone functions, like the flashlight or silent mode, in the same way as Apple's Action button remains to be seen.

Earlier this month Deepanshu Saini, a member of Nothing India's community team, referenced the Essential Key with a comment on X that said, "It's not what you think but something you will love to click many times a day."

Whatever the purpose of the button, it's a fair bet the inspiration for adding it came from the iPhone's own Action button feature — first introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro and most recently deployed on the iPhone 16e.

The design of the Nothing Phone 3a was probably never in doubt — the company has carved out an aesthetic for itself that sets it apart from the rest of the Android crowd. But extra details like the Essential Key and the expansion of the camera module from the two on the Nothing Phone 2a to the three visible here are good to see for.

We also have a very good idea of the rest of the specs inside the phone, thanks to countless leaks and rumors over the last few weeks. It's believed the Nothing Phone 3a will arrive with a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, a 6.72-inch OLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and a 5,000mAh battery.

The three camera setup may comprise a 50-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide and another 50-megapixel 2x telephoto camera. Which is pretty damn impressive for a device likely to come in south of $500/£500.

Mobile World Congress gets underway this weekend and runs through next week. Nothing has already confirmed the launch date for the phones as March 4, so by this time next week we'll have all the details on Nothing's upcoming devices well out in the open.

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The Nothing Phone 3a series is set to be unveiled on March 4 at this year’s Mobile World Congress, but a steady stream of leaks has given us an almost complete list of specs, with only two key details left to reveal: the price and the purpose of mystery button that you’ll “love to click many times a day.”

The latter may just have been revealed nine days ahead of schedule, thanks to a couple of official-looking videos promoting both the regular handset and the slightly enhanced Nothing Phone 3a Pro.

The videos come via the X leaker Arsène Lupin, who previously revealed key details about Apple’s PowerBeats Pro 2 headphones ahead of release. The French tipster published promo videos of both the regular handset and the Pro model, and both feature a button shortcut to something called “Essential Space.”

Essential Space seems to be an AI-curated to-do list. In the videos, the phone screen is seen browsing Instagram, and then seeing a post promoting Milan Design Week. The side button is then pressed before a microphone bar pops up along the bottom, with the accompanying text reading “Remind me to buy tickets tomorrow.”

A screenshot is captured and whisked off to the side of the screen, and we see a text reading “I’ve set a reminder to buy the tickets tomorrow for the Salone Internazionale del Mobile” with the correct dates of the event underneath. We’re then shown a list of the demo unit’s other to-do items, each with a deadline. “Essential Space organizes content and generates action points,” the accompanying text reads.

Elsewhere, the videos largely reiterate the core specs we’ve heard before. For the most part, the phones are set to be the same right down to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processors and 6.77-inch 120Hz AMOLED screens (this is actually 0.05 inches more than previous leaks have suggested, but close enough.)

The difference is the camera setup. While both use the same 50MP main camera and 8MP ultrawide sensor, the telephoto lenses and front-facing cameras are different. For the latter, the Pro model has a 50MP lens while the former drops to 32MP, which should make a modest difference in selfie quality.

But it’s the third rear-camera lens that will make the main difference. While the regular handset has a 2x telephoto lens, the Pro version is set to have a 3x periscope model. Both of these are a first for Nothing, and unheard of for handsets at this expected price point. It’s worth noting that neither the OnePlus 12R nor the Google Pixel 8a — two of the best cheap phones you can buy — have any kind of telephoto lens.

Hopefully that doesn’t mean the Nothing Phone 3a will leapfrog them in terms of price. The company’s last release — the Nothing Phone 2a Plus — started at $399, while both the OnePlus 12 R and Pixel 8a sell for $100 more. We’ll find out if Nothing can stay competitive in just under two weeks.

We’re rapidly approaching the Nothing Phone 3a’s launch date of March 4, but at this rate, there aren’t going to be any surprises left when the full announcement is made.

From a leak earlier this week, we already knew that Nothing is set to launch two phones next month, believed the be the regular Nothing Phone 3a and a Pro version with an improved camera setup. But now a report from Android Headlines not only plugs the few spec gaps that were left to fill, but provides renders of both handsets.

While the regular Nothing Phone 3 adopts a Pixel-style horizontal camera array in the middle of a circle, the Pro version tries out something a little less conventional, with the lenses spread out around the same shape

It’s a bold design, even by Nothing’s standards. The company’s other signature design calling card is on full display here too, with the transparent backplate showing some of the handset’s innards. It appears the signature Glyph lighting system — where the curved lines on the back can light up to display custom notifications — is firmly in place on both phones too.

The report confirms the details of the earlier leak, while adding a few more of its own. Largely, the two handsets are the same, with both powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor and a 5,000mAh battery. This report adds a new detail: you can expect faster charging as well as stamina, with that battery hitting 50% in just 19 minutes at the outlet.

Great for binge watchers and snap happy people

The screen sizes are the same too, with both devices sporting a 6.77-inch, 120Hz FHD AMOLED LTPS panel. That means the devices have only the slightest difference in terms of dimensions, with the Nothing Phone 3a (163.52mm x 77.5mm x 8.35mm) weighing ten grams less than the 211g Nothing Phone 3a Pro (163.52mm x 77.5mm x 8.39mm).

The differences, it seems, are threefold. Firstly, there’s RAM and internal storage. While you can choose to buy an 8GB/128GB or 12GB/256GB version of the Nothing Phone 3a, the Pro only comes with the latter.

Secondly, the selfie camera is different too. The regular Nothing Phone 3a will sport a 32MP front-facing camera, while the Pro version ups this to 50MP. Megapixels aren’t everything, of course, but you can still expect the latter to produce slightly better selfies.

Finally, the main difference comes in the rear camera array. As previously reported, two of the three cameras are the same on both, with the regular handset matching the Pro’s 50MP main sensor and 8MP ultra-wide lens. The difference comes with the telephoto lens: both are 50MP, Android Headlines says, but the Pro model is capable of 3x optical zoom and 60x digital zoom, while the regular model has 2x optical and 30x digital.

If confirmed, it will be the first time that Nothing’s phones have included a telephoto lens, and it’s pretty exciting given neither the Pixel 8a or the OnePlus 12R feature them. If Nothing can avoid raising the price too much from the Phone 2a Plus’ $399 MSRP, both handsets could be serious contenders to top our list of the best cheap phones.

We’ll find out pricing details very soon, with just 11 days to go before the Nothing Phone 3a’s official unveiling at MWC in Barcelona. Rest assured that we’ll have the full confirmed details just as soon as they’re announced.

For Android users on a budget, the Nothing Phone series has been a breath of fresh air. Founded by OnePlus co-creator Carl Pei, the handsets — especially the ‘a’ series — have combined a unique style with decent specs and a fair price, consistently making them some of the best cheap phones around.

The Nothing Phone 3a has already been teased, and it’s set to arrive very soon indeed. Here’s everything we know so far.

Nothing Phone 3a: Price and release date

We know exactly when Nothing will unveil the Phone 3a, because the company has already told us.

“Phone (3a) Series,” the official Nothing account posted on X. “Power in perspective. 4 March 10 AM GMT.”

That’s on the second day of the upcoming Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona, so we’re expecting a big presence there. The time translates to 5 a.m Eastern Time or 2 a.m Pacific.

Notably, the company uses the word “series”, suggesting more than one. That lines up with rumors of a Pro model launching at the same time — but more on that later.

So far, there haven’t been any indications of price, but again the ‘a’ series is the budget line. The Nothing Phone 2a launched at $349, while the Phone 2a Plus arrived at $399, so hopefully we’ll be looking at handsets well under $500.

Nothing Phone 3a: Design and display

According to a big leak from Smartprix, there will be two handsets released at the same time: the Nothing Phone 3a and Nothing Phone 3a Pro.

From the details so far, the differences between the two will actually be pretty limited, and that’s especially true in terms of looks. Both phones will pack a 6.72-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Notably, that’s the same as the Nothing Phone 2a Plus, suggesting that other design details may be the same too. So likely a 1,084 x 2,421 resolution and hole-punch camera, though water and dust resistance has reportedly been upped from IP54 to IP64.

These being Nothing Phones, you can also expect the company’s signature design calling card: a translucent backplate that shows the phone’s innards. The LED Glyph lighting on the back has historically been used for notifications, letting you set up different patterns for different visual alerts when your phone is placed face down.

There may be one other big design surprise. According to a teaser from Nothing, the phone will feature a new button, and one leaker followed up with the comment it’s something you’ll “love to click many times a day”. It’s certainly intriguing…

Nothing Phone 3a: Performance and battery

According to the aforementioned Smartprix leak, the phones will both use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, as recently seen in the Motorola Edge 50 Pro.

In our review, we were a little critical of performance, as it was some way behind the Google Pixel 8a and OnePlus 12R, but it will be more than acceptable if Nothing can keep the price below these two, which both start at $499.

There’s been no word on RAM or storage, so for now we’d assume the regular and Pro models will match their previous-generation counterparts. That means a choice of 8GB/128GB or 12GB/256GB for the regular phone, or just 12GB/256GB for the Pro version.

The report did, however, mention battery capacity: both phones will pack a 5,000mAh cell, the same as the previous generation. That led to a solid 14+ hours’ use of both phones in our battery test last generation, and hopefully the efficiency of the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 will help stretch that even further.

Nothing Phone 3a: Cameras

Both Nothing Phone 3a handsets are tipped to come with triple camera arrays, but the Pro model has one big advantage. We’ll get to that in a second, but first, here’s where they’re the same: both phones are rumored to come with a 50MP main camera, supported by an 8MP ultrawide lens.

But while the regular model comes with an (unspecified megapixel) 2x telephoto lens, the Pro version reportedly packs a Sony LYT-600 sensor for long-range shots. That’s a 50MP telephoto lens with a 1/1.95-inch sensor. Smartprix claims it will be capable of a 60x hybrid zoom.

To be clear, we shouldn’t expect miracles from a sub-$500 phone, but it’s impressive all the same. Neither the Pixel 8a or the OnePlus 12R feature telephoto lenses, and that could give Nothing a clear advantage.

Nothing Phone 3a: Outlook

If these rumors are confirmed as accurate, the Nothing Phone 3a series looks set to be another home run for the company. The telephoto lens on the Pro model in particular sounds very promising indeed.

A lot of this rests on price, but assuming it stays under $500, it’s hard to see the phones getting anything other than a solid recommendation from us for budget buyers when they launch next month.

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Since bursting onto the smartphone scene in 2022 with the Phone 1, the awkwardly-named Nothing brand has been a consistent fixture on our list of the best cheap phones you can buy. Founded by the co-creator of OnePlus, Carl Pei, Nothing’s handsets combine solid specs, a fair price and a truly unique design in a world of similar-looking black rectangles.

We know that the latest handsets — the Nothing 3a series — are coming on March 4 to coincide with Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, but you may not have to wait to find out what the company has in store if new leaked specifications prove to be accurate.

Smartprix reports that Nothing is planning on releasing two handsets: the Nothing 3a and Nothing 3a Pro. For the most part, the devices will be pretty similar, sharing a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, a 6.72-inch 120Hz OLED screen, a 5,000mAh battery and an IP64 rating for dust and water resistance.

But things differ when it comes to camera specs — or specifically the telephoto lens. While both phones have a 50MP main camera and an 8MP ultrawide lens, the regular 3a comes with a 2x telephoto lens with an unspecified megapixel count for zoomed shots.

The 3a Pro, however, comes with a 50MP telephoto sensor. It’s said to be Sony’s LYT-600 sensor, featuring a 1/1.95-inch sensor, which the site claims will be capable of 60x hybrid zoom.

We shouldn’t expect miracles from this, of course. Despite the Pro moniker, this is still from the ‘a’ series of Nothing handsets, meaning budget. Historically that range has maxed out at $399 with the Nothing Phone 2a Plus, and the use of the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset suggests that won’t be changing too much. In other words, it’s unlikely to make our list of the best camera phones.

Nonetheless, if this is true — and the price doesn’t push it out of the category — the Nothing Phone 3a Pro spec does look like it’ll reshape what you can expect from a budget phone’s cameras.

The $499 Pixel 8a doesn’t have a telephoto lens, and neither is the imminent iPhone SE 4 tipped to. It could even compete with flagship phones on paper: the Samsung Galaxy S25, starting at $799, is limited to 10 megapixels on its 3x telephoto lens.

Previously, we’ve heard that the Nothing Phone 3a family will allow the use of eSIMs and have a mysterious new button that you’ll “love to click many times a day”, whatever that means. We’ll find out in just two weeks’ time.

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There is a lot to love about Nothing phones, with the recent Nothing Phone 2a Plus wowing us with its unique design and stellar performance for a low cost. As such, Nothing's social media confirming a March release for the Nothing Phone 3a was great news.

While we could expect Nothing to remain relatively quiet until the release date, the company has other ideas. Recently, Nothing's X account posted an image of the side of the Nothing Phone 3a with the line "your second memory, one click away. Power in Perspective. 4 March 10:00 GMT." What stands out in the image is a new button located next to the power button, and Nothing has no intention of telling us what its function is just yet.

The post's comment section is full of debate, with many users suggesting that the button will be similar to Apple's Action Button found on the iPhone 16 series and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Others have speculated that it will instead copy Apple's camera control button that only appeared on later iPhones like the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Deepanshu Saini, a member of Nothing India's community team, added to the debate with a comment that said, "It's not what you think but something you will love to click many times a day."

As it stands we can't say with any certainty what the buttons feature will be. Nothing's statement of "Your second memory, one click away" could, in theory, describe either the Camera Control or Action Button suggestions. However, the placement seems awkward for a Camera Control button. Meanwhile, Deepanshu's comment about using it "many times a day" would better describe something similar to using the Action Button.

Like the button's function, Nothing has been keeping the specs for the Nothing Phone 3a under lock and key. However, a recent leaked image seems to show off a new three-camera setup for the phone that could hint at the introduction of a telephoto lens. This would match the leak detailing three big upgrades for the Nothing Phone 3a, which also mentions the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, a 5,000 mAh battery and eSIM support.

There are a lot of questions about the Nothing Phone 3a, but everything we've seen makes the device look like it might be a stellar release. Depending on the price of the phone, there is little reason to doubt that the Nothing Phone 3a will find a place on our best cheap phones list.

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There's been a lot of rumors circulating Nothing's next device and we finally have some official confirmation on the launch date of the Nothing Phone 3a.

Nothing has built itself up as something of a fan favorite when it comes to affordable Android brands on the market. Nothing's devices have a lot to offer, even winning certain Tom's Guide staff members over from other Android options.

The Nothing Phone 2a was a great device, and there's a lot of excitement about the sequel. Recently we saw a leak that claimed to be the Nothing Phone 3a that showed a redesigned camera block that somewhat resembled Google's Pixel 7 Pro.

The big question we had was when we could expect the phone, and it seems there's finally an answer. In a recent post on X, Nothing itself stated: "Phone (3a) Series. Power in perspective. 4 March 10 AM GMT."

This seems to indicate that we can expect the phone to be released in only a few weeks.

The post also shows off a short video that reveals the camera block will still be placed in the center of the device, although we can't make out if it matches the leaked device we've already seen doing the rounds (pictured below).

In fact, we know a fair amount about the phone already from other rumors, including three big upgrades.

The first is that the phone could launch with a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip. While it might not be on the same level as the Galaxy S25, the phone will have a fully AI-capable chip at a much lower cost. There are also indications that the Nothing Phone 3a will have its cameras upgraded to 50MP and will be the first Nothing Phone to offer eSIM support.

Either way, the release of a new Nothing Phone is exciting for Android fans looking for something a little different from the likes of Samsung's Galaxy and Google's Pixel ranges. And, if the promised upgrades occur, then I've no doubt the Nothing Phone 3a will find its place on our best cheap phones list.

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There is a lot of excitement for Nothing Phone's 2025 lineup, and we might have got our first look at the Nothing Phone 3a.

Originally spotted by Android Authority, known leaker Sanju Choudhary posted an image of the apparent Nothing Phone on X. It shows what is claimed to be the Nothing Phone 3a in a protective case that only reveals the camera layout. If the image is accurate, it would indicate that the Nothing Phone 3a will come with three cameras rather than the two cameras on the Nothing Phone 2a.

While we don't know for certain what the cameras will be, there have been some hints. Firstly, in the post on X, Sanju states that the Nothing (3a) might come with three 50MP cameras. Next, in a recent leak that tipped three big upgrades for the Nothing Phone (3a), it was hinted that the phone could come with a telephoto lens. It was speculated that the 3a model might replace the ultrawide lens, but this image indicates the phone will have all three.

Aside from the cameras, the prior leak gives us a good idea of what may come with the Nothing Phone (3a). For instance, it appears as though the phone could come with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. While it might not be as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered Samsung Galaxy S25, it is a decent enough chip for the price. Finally, it appears that the phone will also support eSIM, making it the first Nothing Phone to do so.

It appears that we have a lot to look forward to regarding Nothing, as they have also hinted at their next device on social media. Recently, Nothing posted the image of the Pokemon Arcanine on its X account. Aside from being a cool-looking image, it could also relate to the upcoming release of the Nothing Phone 3. This would match the company posting the image of Mega Aerodacty just before the Nothing Phone (2a) release.

There's no doubt that Nothing has a lot in store for customers in 2025, and hopefully, the Nothing phone 3a continues the stellar design that helped its predecessor score best designed in our best cheap phones list. For the time being, we will have to wait and see what Nothing reveals in the coming months.

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Nothing could be hinting at the long-awaited Nothing Phone (3) with an image of the fire Pokémon Arcanine.

There's something special when it comes to Nothing hinting at possible new devices. While other companies make use of teasing shots of the device, Nothing likes to take a different direction. In the past, the company used the image of the Mega Aerodactyl to hint at the Nothing Phone (2a), and history could be repeating itself.

In a recent post on X, Nothing showed off the pixelated image of an Arcanine. On its own, it's a pretty cool-looking image, but a bit of digging reveals a deeper message. Last year GSM arena revealed that a device that was likely the Nothing Phone (3) had appeared on Geekbench. What is interesting here is that the device had the model number A059, and 59 also happens to be the Pokedex entry for Arcanine. Now, it could all be chance, but this is a coincidence that's pretty hard to ignore.

The model in question was listed with an unspecified chipset that resembled the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. However, another rumor stated that the phone will likely feature the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3. This chip, like others in the S range of Qualcomm chips, won't quite match the version found in the Galaxy S24 Ultra. However, the chip offers AI features to more affordable Android phones.

Aside from the inner hardware, there are also indications that Nothing could copy a big feature from the iPhone 15 Pro Max. In a post on social media, Nothing Phone CEO Carl Pei showed off a redesigned quick setting panel for Nothing OS 3. However, it was soon noticed that the device in the image was not the Nothing Phone (2) due to a brand new button. While we don't know its exact purpose, there's speculation that might be a customizable button like Apple's Action Button.

So far there's been no word from Nothing about what this post means, but we'll be keeping our eyes open for any development. However, Nothing will likely wait for a bit, at least until the hype around the Galaxy S25 series' announcement passes.

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Nothing has quickly built a reputation for producing great phones like the Phone 2(a) that cost less than its rivals, and with the year coming to a close, some of us are wondering what might be coming next. Fortunately for us, Android Authority has uncovered some clues inside Nothing OS 3.0, suggesting camera and processor upgrades could be coming to Nothing Phone 3.

Nothing OS 3.0 is based on Android 15, and Android Authority uncovered references to three distinct codenames in its code: asteroids, asteroids_plus and galaga. All named after the classic video games, it seems these codenames relate to future Nothing hardware — likely the Nothing Phone 3a, Nothing Phone 3a Plus and the CMF Phone 2.

The code also suggests that the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset could power the Phone 3a and 3a Plus, while the CMF Phone 2 could come with a MediaTek chip. That is no huge surprise given CMF is in the business of releasing cheap phones, and MediaTek silicon is usually more affordable.

On top of that, the code suggests that the Phone 3a could come with a telephoto camera lens, though whether it’ll be in place of the ultrawide (like the Motorola Razr Plus 2024) or be a new third lens isn’t clear. Meanwhile, it looks like the Phone 3a Plus could upgrade that lens to include a periscope camera, which should offer much higher levels of optical zoom.

Finally, Android Authority found evidence that eSIM support could come to the Phone 3a and 3a Plus. This would make them the first Nothing phones to support eSIM, though there’s nothing to suggest that the CMF Phone 2 will follow their example. So physical SIM cards are still going to be around for a while yet.

This is all great news for the Nothing Phone 3a. While not a flagship Snapdragon 8 chip, the introduction of a 7-series Snapdragon chipset should be a boon to performance and energy efficiency. A telephoto lens would also offer an extra taste of the flagship experience, by improving the overall quality of zoomed-in shots.

The only questions I have are how much optical zoom will be on offer, and how much these upgrades will affect the price. Nothing is known for undercutting the competition, but the more upgrades it includes, the more these phones cost to make — and there are only so many times you can avoid passing those costs onto the consumers.

Fortunately, we shouldn’t have too long to wait, because the Nothing Phone 3a is expected to arrive at some point in the first quarter of 2025. We’re not sure exactly when, but it hopefully means we won’t have to wait more than three months.

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Update: Tom's Guide reached out to Nothing PR for comment on if the AI enhancements would arrive on older devices, and was told "more information will be shared later." 

Nothing has already staked out a place at the front of the budget smartphone race with devices like the Nothing Phone (2) and Nothing Phone (2a). Now it's ready to increase the presence of AI in the Nothing Phone lineup. 

In a new video posted across different social networks, Nothing CEO Carl Pei sat down to highlight his thoughts on AI, most notably going over how it can better serve the customer as well as be better served across his company’s products. 

Pei discusses everything from his opinion on what the best AI form factor is to likening Nothing to gaming giant Nintendo. On the cusp of Apple’s WWDC event next week, in which we're expecting to see Apple announce a new partnership with OpenAI while previewing this year's AI-focused iOS 18 update, Pei’s words distill the overriding importance of the technology in our daily lives.

In closing, Pei also denoted when to expect the highly anticipated Nothing Phone (3), which to no one’s surprise will be injected with a slew of AI entreats that should, in theory, make it stand out in the ever-growing crowd of AI-infused smartphones.

Nothing like Nintendo 

Nothing’s new video touches on a slew of important points pertaining to consumer AI, with Pei explaining that his ideal AI form factor is the smartphone. But before this ideal product can be realized, the 34-year old co-founder and CEO noted how the smartphone user experience (UX) necessitates a dramatic makeover. 

Pei describes a future where smartphones won’t even need apps to function like they do today, as the phone’s operating system will be capable of leveraging all the same services and pulling them together in a way that will “make your day easier.” This is where Nintendo enters the equation. 

In describing the Japanese video game maker, Pei notes how the best Nintendo Switch games are ones bred out of a drive to “create the most human and most fun experiences.” It’s here where Nothing aims to shape its own AI formula in a way that sees the company making things fun and more personalized for the end user.

This AI exploration starts with a fully redesigned home screen. In place of all the best Android apps you might find the moment you pick up your Nothing device that there's a dynamic screen guiding you through all the same app-based functions, like automatically showing the QR code for an upcoming event or news updates tailored to your interests. 

Nothing Phone companions

In tandem with the home screen redesign, Pei says Nothing Phones will also implement an AI companion that is tailored to you and your needs — “like a best friend,” as a software engineer named Walid describes. In Nothing’s video, Walid shows the AI asking several questions pertaining to your personality and interests when you first set up your device.

These companions will vary across users and can serve you in far more improved ways thanks to being unshackled from certain apps and containers. This AI companion can make itself known practically anywhere across the device; on the home screen, lock screen, through the Glyph interface, and even through voice and audio via earbuds, like the Nothing Ear. 

Pei rounds out the video with the most exciting news yet — a sneak peek at the Nothing Phone (3) debut. The aforementioned AI upgrades will first be realized on the upcoming device, which the CEO notes will be launching sometime in 2025. Such AI enhancements will put it up against other AI-heavy smartphones, like the Google Pixel 8 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S24, though Google and Samsung could have new phones by next year such as the Pixel 9 and Galaxy S25, respectively.

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Nothing Phone CEO Carl Pei might have just teased some design changes coming to the company's rumored Nothing Phone (3) flagship device.

Originally reported by Beebom, Pei shared the image on X  that purportedly shows a redesigned quick setting panel for the upcoming Nothing OS 3. While many people were initially interested in the image on the phone’s screen, it was soon noticed that there was something different about the frame of the device itself. 

Initially, it's easy to assume the phone in the image is the Nothing Phone (2), but there is one major difference. Located on the right-hand side of the screen is a brand new button that isn’t present on the current flagship Nothing Phone. While we don’t know much about the button, considering Nothing has been quiet on the subject, we can only speculate on its purpose. 

One current theory is the button will be customizable like the iPhone 15's Action button. This would allow users to set what the button does, like turning on the torch or performing a specific action while in an app. We can’t see if it is a mechanical button, or if it will be a capacitive solid-state button like the iPhone 15 Pro. However, a customizable button would fit with Nothing’s current focus on customizable features in its Nothing OS.

Another potential feature for the button would be as a dedicated AI button to trigger ChatGPT on the phone. Nothing recently released their next generation of headphones, which include integration with ChatGPT. The new integration allows users with the latest Nothing OS to press and hold the earbuds' stalks to speak directly to the ChatGPT app. However, this button could be another means to communicate with the AI. 

So far there isn’t much to go on and rumors about the Nothing Phone (3) are sparse. However, we hope Nothing is working to improve the cameras and durability of the device compared to the prior models while keeping the price relatively low. You can check our Nothing (3) hub for any news and updates as we hear them. 

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Nothing is on something of a roll after the excellent reception of its recently-released Nothing Phone 2a budget handset. And yesterday, we heard whispers of a brand new pair of earbuds coming later this month that could rival the AirPods.

But it seems there's even more brewing at Nothing HQ, according to a post on X from leaker Dylan Roussel. The claim is that two more Nothing phones are set for release this year, tagged with the code names PacMan Pro and Tetris.

Unpacking the first one, that's likely to be a variant of the Nothing Phone 2a, which originally had two working titles: Aerodactyl and PacMan. It's not hard to envision something along the lines of a community edition, akin to the rumored Samsung Galaxy S24 FE or perhaps some kind of collaboration. Although, tagging Pro on the end makes me wonder if it's going to be a step up in terms of hardware and performance. Almost like a middle-ground between the Nothing Phone 2 and the 2a.

Tetris, meanwhile, could be our first mention of the Nothing Phone 3 — which would seem the natural next step for a phone brand going from strength to strength. 

At this early stage, there's little else to go on in terms of what the Nothing Phone 3 may bring to the table. But the company is happy to rev the hype engine in advance of announcements, so we could have some official teases before too long.

The Nothing Phone 2 was announced back in July 2023, so we have at least a couple more months before I'd expect to see anything emerge. In terms of what to expect, Nothing will surely want to stick to what's working for it and keep the cool translucent design and the brand’s iconic Glyph Interface.

If there's one thing the company needs to add for the next version of its flagship device, it would be display out via USB-C — something my colleague Anthony was left wanting after he took the plunge on the Nothing Phone 2 last year.

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Rejoice, Android fans — the stylish phone brand Nothing is finally launching its most recent handsets in Australia, with the Nothing Phone 2 and Nothing Phone 2a set for an official local release on April 11, 2024.

JB Hi-Fi will be the brand's exclusive retail partner in Australia, with each device already available for pre-order in multiple storage configurations and colour options. 

The Nothing Phone 2, which launched overseas back in July 2023, is up for pre-order in 256GB and 512GB variants in either Dark Grey or White, priced at AU$999 and AU$1,099, respectively.

Meanwhile, the newer Nothing Phone 2a, which arrived in the US and UK earlier this month, is a more budget-friendly option which starts at AU$529 for the 128GB model and maxes out at AU$599 for the 256GB version. The Nothing Phone 2a is available in Black and Milk White.

Nothing Phone 2 and 2a: What you need to know

Founded in London, England by Carl Pei, co-founder of OnePlus, Nothing is a consumer electronics company that has so far released a number of reasonably successful audio and Android smartphone products, including the Nothing Ear 1 and Ear 2 earbuds, and the original Nothing Phone 1.

Nothing is known primarily for the stylish, transparent designs of its products, as well as the unique 'Glyph' interface of its smartphones. 

The Glyph interface essentially boils down to an array of rear-mounted LED lights which can be programmed to signal the user of a number of actions and notifications through a variety of light sequences. For instance, the lights can be used as a battery indicator, music visualiser, a travel progress indicator, and much more.

Nothing Phone 2 and 2a: Here's what we thought

We've reviewed all of Nothing's products so far, including the Nothing Phone 2 and Nothing Phone 2a following their international launches, and came away generally impressed — despite noting a few areas for improvement. 

In our 3.5-star review of the Nothing Phone 2, we praised the device's refreshed interfaces, snappy performance and premium design, but noted it offered subpar low-light photography.

The Nothing Phone 2a fared better in our 4-star review, where the device's budget-friendly price point allowed us to overlook some of those same camera-related issues.

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Nearly a full week before its official event, we’re getting our first and best look to date yet at the budget-conscious Nothing Phone 2a. Those prior leaked renders we saw are legitimately confirmed with Nothing’s unboxing teaser video from London — proving that budget phones can look ultra premium.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the Carl Pei-backed company unboxed the Nothing Phone (2a) from its minimalist packaging, revealing the back of the phone complete with its redesigned Glyph Interface. There are several things we can infer from this video, including how it’ll feature a similar translucent design that gives us a peek into the insides of the phone. Budget phones don’t get this kind of treatment, so it’s commendable for the Nothing Phone (2a) to look this good.

While Nothing’s design philosophy emerges with the Nothing Phone (2a), one of the bigger mysteries about its design leading up to its unveiling centered around its Glyph Interface. There was a prior leak that showed a barren looking Nothing Phone (2a) without the company’s signature Glyph Interface, which were later proven to be of another unreleased Nothing Phone. However, this unboxing video shows that it’s still intact with the design, but with a much more reserved look.

Instead of those LED light strips outlining most of the back of the phone, they’re instead isolated around the phone’s dual-cameras. They still light up in different patterns, which presumably could indicate specific notifications and tones — but it’s comforting to know that the Glyph Interface is still there.

On top of the unboxing teaser video, we’re also getting a set of lifestyle shots of the Nothing Phone (2a) courtesy of tipster Roland Quandt. These lifestyle photos show us two color options: dark and white.

If you take a peek at our best cheap phones guide, you’ll see how most of their designs are generic. One of the exceptions could be the OnePlus 12R, but none of them can match the appeal of the Nothing Phone (2a) and its translucent design. It really does set a precedent for everything else.

Beyond the design, the Nothing Phone (2a) is believed to feature a 6.7-inch 120 Hz AMOLED display with a 1080 x 2412 resolution, MediaTek Dimensity 7200 chip, and dual cameras consisting of a 50MP main paired with a 50MP ultrawide.

Fortunately we won’t have to wait long for the rest of the details, including its price where it’ll be a worthy rival to other budget phones like the Google Pixel 7a, Samsung Galaxy A54, and iPhone SE (2022). Another unknown that should be finalized in time for its official announcement on March 5 is whether or not it’ll launch in the U.S. from the get-go.

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Pre-release renders and specs for the Nothing Phone 2a have been published by OnLeaks and Smartprix, giving us a lot of insight into Nothing's first attempt at a budget phone. Based on what we're seeing, Google's Pixel 7a should be worried.

This isn't the first time OnLeaks has claimed to have the design of the Phone 2a. But after a previous iteration was proved false, and further information was sourced, he's confident that these renders now properly represent the real deal.

Like other Nothing phones, the 2a has a very distinct design — featuring dual cameras in the top center of the back panel that look like a pair of goggles. That's nestled within an intricately designed decorative panel beneath the main glass back, and surrounded by three "Glyph Lights". These appear to be a limited version of the full-on Glyph Interface that the Nothing Phone 2 offers, but will hopefully still provide customizable notifications for apps in a similar way.

Looking at the front, we see the Nothing Phone 2a has a flat display to match the flat metal sides, and a central punch-hole at the top for the selfie camera. The Phone 2a shown in these renders is the Dark Gray color version, though we also expect a white edition. 

Some impressive-sounding specs

We also have several alleged specs for the Nothing Phone 2a, also sourced by Smartprix. Here's what is rumored.

Supposedly offering a 6.7-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 5,000 mAh battery and 45W charging, the Phone 2a puts some flagship Android phones to shame with its size and likely speed. And even though it only offers two rear cameras, the dual 50MP sensors put it ahead of the current best cheap phones like the Google Pixel 7a and Samsung Galaxy A54, and likely the Pixel 8a and Galaxy A55 that will replace them.

The mystery factor here is the Nothing Phone 2a's performance. Offering up to 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage is quite generous, but we don't yet know how powerful the Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset will prove to be. 

One obvious downside in these specs, compared to rival phones, is the dust/water resistance rating. At IP54, the Nothing Phone 2a would be less resilient than the typical IP68-rated premium phone.

Currently, Nothing has the Phone 2a down for a March launch, but we could get our first in-person look at MWC 2024 next week. We'll bring you all the official info as we get them, but for now check out our Nothing Phone 2a rumor hub for more leaked details.

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The biggest difference between Android and iPhone will always be choice. When upgrading to one of the best iPhones, you only really have three decisions to make: Do you want three cameras instead of two? What size screen works best for you? And is it worth paying a whole lot extra for more storage? 

With the best Android phones though, you have a whole lot more options when it comes to design and form factors as well as brands to pick from. Maybe you’ve been using one of the best Samsung phones and think that it might finally be time to give a OnePlus phone a try. Or perhaps, you want as close to a stock Android experience as possible on a tight budget and are considering switching to a Motorola smartphone.

I found myself in this exact same situation a few months ago. For years, I used Google’s Nexus phones but when that line was killed off for the company’s more premium Pixel phones, I went with OnePlus as its devices offered the most bang for my buck at the time. Then when OnePlus integrated OPPO’s ColorOS with its own OxygenOS, I decided it was once again time to try something new.

I considered both the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro but as I was coming from the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McClaren with its pop-up selfie camera, I realized I preferred having an Android phone with a gimmick over just another boring slate. As I was familiar with Carl Pei from when he co-founded OnePlus, I decided to look further into his new company, Nothing. While I was intrigued by the Nothing Phone (1) and its unique features, the refinements and upgrades in the Nothing Phone (2) had me sold.

I’ve now been using the Nothing Phone (2) as my daily driver for three months. Here are my thoughts on this one-of-a-kind smartphone and how Nothing might just be my new go-to Android brand.

What I love about the Nothing Phone (2)

Nothing OS is absolutely gorgeous

Android smartphone makers often offer their own skins or launchers to make their device stand out. While I personally prefer stock Android over Samsung’s One UI due to its simplicity, Nothing has managed to add a lot of interesting and useful features without detracting from what makes stock Android work so well in my opinion.

From hidden app icons in the launcher to its monochrome theme, Nothing has put a lot of thought into how it wants its smartphones to look and function. The responsiveness of Nothing OS is another big plus for me and this is the first Android phone I’ve owned that truly gives me an iPhone-like experience in terms of how well its software and hardware work together. I’m sure I would get a similar experience on a Pixel phone but then I’d lose out on Nothing’s unique approach to hardware and design.

One of the things that Carl Pei has said in interviews about Nothing OS is that it’s designed in such a way as to remove distractions so you spend less time on your phone. Case in point, you can pick up the Nothing Icon Pack from the Play Store and apply monochromatic theming to every single app icon on your phone. Even if you download a brand new app that was just released, your Nothing Phone will still be able to change its icon to black and white.

Since taking the screenshots above, I’ve redone my home screen layout several times and I’m now at a point where every single widget, folder, icon and even the Google Search bar at the bottom is completely black and white. The only splash of color on my home screen is the red Device Controls widget I use to control my smart lights.

In the past when I’ve had to use an Android launcher to add a Google Discover feed on the left side of my home screen, deep down, I always knew I was using a launcher on top of a manufacturer’s skin. This is because the settings menu doesn’t change when you enable a launcher. With my Nothing Phone (2) though, this same black and white look with pixelated lettering is present throughout my entire phone and honestly, I couldn’t be happier with it.

The Glyph Interface is actually useful 

So I mentioned before that I wanted a phone with a gimmick and Nothing’s Glyph Interface is that gimmick. However, after using the Nothing Phone (2) for the past three months, I’ve actually found myself using it quite a bit more than I thought I would. 

From a fill light for photos to a softer flashlight at night, the Glyph Interface has come in handy more times than I can count. I still can’t get over how its lights flash when I flip over the Nothing Phone (2) to put it into Flip to Glyph mode or the fact that one of the glyphs lights up when I adjust the volume. I’ve mainly been using wireless charging with this phone but I like how the lightstrip near the USB-C port at the bottom shows its charging progress.

The Glyph Interface on my Nothing Phone (2) has also proven useful during my workday. I like how I can use a Glyph Timer for the Pomodoro Technique during those times when I want to focus and work without distractions. However, Nothing recently added the ability to have a glyph show a countdown before my next meeting in Google Calendar. Now with the release of the Glyph Developer Kit, it’s likely there will soon be even more integrations with third-party apps in addition to Uber and Zomato which can show the progress of a rideshare pickup or a food delivery order.

I keep my phone set on vibrate but you can use the Glyph Interface for ringtones. As part of this though, Nothing released its Glyph Composer app in the Play Store so that you can record your own ringtones with lighting effects. When I get bored — and especially when my toddler gets bored — I’ve found that taking out my phone and trying to come up with a beat or a short melody really helps pass the time.

My Android phone now gets mistaken for an iPhone

This one is a bit silly I know, but being the only Android user in a room full of people with iPhones can feel a bit weird at times. I’m not going to convince them to give up their iPhones and they aren’t going to be able to get me to switch to a much more closed off ecosystem. To each their own right? However, I’ve found it to be much easier to blend in now that I have an Android phone that closely resembles an iPhone.

In fact, there have been several occasions now where, when my Nothing Phone (2) is placed down on a table at a social gathering, someone else might pick it up thinking it’s their iPhone. When I flip my phone over though, it’s immediately clear that it isn’t an iPhone. Unlike with my past Android phones though, the Nothing Phone (2) is the first device I’ve owned that has piqued the interest of iPhone users. Before, they would just kind of shrug it off but now, when they see what the Nothing Phone can do, they start asking questions and are generally intrigued by it. 

I’ve put my Nothing Phone (2) side by side with my wife’s iPhone 14 Pro Max and while they do appear similar with their screens off, I think Nothing actually has an edge on the iPhone in some areas. For one, the volume and power buttons are closer to the middle than they are on an iPhone and with both devices in hand, my Nothing Phone (2) feels a lot lighter. Sure, I still have to deal with all of that green bubble nonsense in group chats but the extra features Nothing has packed into this phone more than make that worth it.

What I hate about the Nothing Phone (2)

Nothing happens when I connect it to a display

With three years of updates and four years of security patches, I went with the more expensive $699 version of the Nothing Phone (2). The price increase between the first and second phone from Nothing was one of the things we called out in our Nothing Phone (2) review but for me, the device offered enough features and functionality that I was able to justify its higher price. Plus, it was still cheaper than other Android flagship phones like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or the Pixel 8 Pro.

There is one glaring flagship feature that Nothing decided to leave out of the Phone (2) though: display out via USB-C. Sure, this is a very niche feature and most people probably won’t have a use for it. However, as I frequently test portable monitors and portable monitors with touchscreens, this feature really comes in handy. I was already sold on the Nothing Phone (2) due to everything else this phone brings to the table but I forgot to check to see if it could do video out via USB-C before I placed my order. While its omission isn’t a deal breaker by any means, I was a bit disappointed the first time I plugged my phone into a monitor and nothing appeared on the screen.  

Hopefully, Nothing decides to add this in when the inevitable Nothing Phone (3) makes its debut later this year.

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Going with one of the best Android phones over an iPhone is about as divisive of a decision as you can make. Some will love you for it while others will be left scratching their heads.

Sure, you can tell your iPhone-wielding friends all about customizing your home screen with a new launcher, being able to run emulators or even sideloading apps but for the most part, trying to convince someone to make the switch from iPhone to Android is comparable to getting them to switch their political affiliation. It’s just not going to happen.

If Apple finally decides to let Android owners use iMessage, the division between these two smartphone camps may finally come to an end. However, when others around you are constantly reminded that you’re not one of them thanks to green bubbles in group chats, being an Android user means you stick out like a sore thumb.

In fact, this social pressure is one of the main reasons that Gen Z is far likely to choose one the best iPhones over an equivalent Android device, even if it has faster charging speeds or can fold in half like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 or the OnePlus Open.

If you thought green bubbles were bad, I’ve personally been dealing with an Android smartphone problem that made me feel completely ostracized from both my friends and even my family. For those who have experienced this problem first hand, fortunately I’ve found a fix but I had to do a deep dive into the settings in Messages to finally restore my sanity.

Just about ready to leave the group chat

While WhatsApp, WeChat, Facebook Messenger and Telegram are the most popular messaging apps worldwide according to Statista, text messaging continues to be the communication tool of choice in the U.S. 

If I had to wager a guess as to why, iMessage is likely the reason. Long before messaging apps became widely available, Apple’s solution to text messaging allowed iPhone users to skirt data fees from their mobile carrier as long as they were sending messages over a Wi-Fi connection.

Back when I lived in Korea, I didn’t have to worry about the blue bubble vs green bubble debate as everyone used KakaoTalk instead of texting for this very same reason. When I returned to the U.S. though, I was immediately struck by how popular text messaging still was, even though there were far better alternatives like the best encrypted messaging apps.

Being the only Android user in a room full of iPhones can be challenging enough, so when it was time to upgrade to a new smartphone, I went with the Nothing Phone 2 as it’s the closest you can get to an iPhone while still using Android. For instance, there have been multiple times when I put my phone down at a social gathering only to have someone else pick it up thinking it was their iPhone.

With my iPhone-like Android device in hand, I decided it was time to get back into group chats with iPhone users — green bubbles be damned. However, this is when I ran into a new problem I had never seen before. If I replied to a group chat that had iPhone users in it, I would see the message together with everyone else’s but the other people in the chat would get an individual reply from me.

When this happened the first few times, I wrote it off as a bug that would likely be fixed soon. However, when it occurred in a group chat with my family while making holiday plans, I knew this wasn’t a one off. As I was added to more group chats, the problem became so bad that I would stay silent even when I had something important to add to the conversation. 

I eventually stopped responding to group chats with iPhone users altogether and just let my wife do the talking. This was no way to live though, so I knew I had to find a solution quickly or I might have to ditch Android and switch to using an iPhone myself.

Finding a fix was harder than I thought

If you’ve experienced this phenomenon yourself, you likely looked online for a solution like I did. Even putting together the keywords for a successful Google search is hard enough on its own and while I found some forum and support posts, most of them were about iMessage on Mac sending individual messages.

I dug deeper though and kept searching for a solution to my problem. In the end, I finally found it and while it was right under my eyes, it eluded me for longer than I’d like to admit. If you’re an Android user that’s been sending individual responses to group chats with iPhone users, here’s how to nip this problem in the bud once and for all.

In the Messages app, tap on your profile picture to pull up the main menu and then select Message Settings. From here, scroll all the way down to the bottom and tap on Advanced. Here you’ll find a setting for Group messaging which you need to tap on to bring up more options. 

While “Send and SMS reply to all recipients and get individual replies (mass text)” is selected by default, it’s this setting that you need to change. By selecting “Send an MMS reply to all recipients (group MMS)” instead, you can fix this problem.

And I thought green bubbles were bad enough 

Now that I’ve fixed this problem, I can see Google’s reasoning behind making mass text the default option. You see, MMS messages cost more to send than SMS ones do and the search giant likely didn’t want Android smartphone users racking up a higher bill than normal after upgrading to a new device. However, in my case, this default setting led to a whole lot of confusion and frustration.

I’m happy to pay a bit more on my phone bill each month to avoid awkward messages from iPhone users after they get an individual response to something that was supposed to be said in a group chat. Fortunately though, as I’m a T-Mobile customer, sending MMS messages actually won’t cost me anything extra.

After switching this setting around, I jumped back into that family group chat from earlier even though the holidays have come and gone. While not everyone got the purpose of my test message, my aunt did as she was the one who pointed out I was sending individual messages in group chats in the first place. 

I know something like this is more of a niche problem but if you’ve been as frustrated as I was or want one less reason to resent the Android users in your group chat, please spread the word as this problem never should have occurred in the first place.

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Even though it's confirmed that a Nothing Phone 2a is in the works, Nothing hasn't had much to say about its future device. But leaked images may have just shed some light on what we might expect from this more budget-friendly model.

A series of leaks about the Nothing Phone 2a published by MySmartPrix shows what appear to be renders of the upcoming phone. And many rumored Nothing Phone 2a details about to be confirmed by the renders, such as a dual rear-facing camera system and a large, 6.7-inch display.

But those same images, which come from leaker @OnLeaks, suggest that Nothing will remove its popular Glyph interface from the rear panel of the Nothing Phone 2a. The phone would still come with a unique design featuring a circle at the top and curved lines further down, but there are no visible lights in the renders that would confirm the presents of Glyphs.

Nothing has made a splash in the smartphone market, thanks in part to the Glyph interface on the original Nothing Phone and the subsequent Nothing Phone (2). The feature allows users to get information from their apps from the phone’s rear panel such as incoming mail, how much time is left in a meeting and more. The idea is to let you know what’s going on without requiring you to pick up the phone and sift through apps when you have the handset face-down on a table during a meeting.

Photos claiming to show off the device also have no trace of the Nothing Phone (2)'s Glyphs. The images were posted to X, the former Twitter website, by a user named Abhishek Yadav.

Nothing Phone 2a rumors suggest the phone will appear as a more affordable version of the Nothing Phone (2). According to reports, the phone should feature 50MP rear cameras, an FHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and up to 256GB of storage. Other reports tip the phone to run on the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 chipset.

However, those same rumors had suggested that Nothing was also planning to bundle the Glyph interface — albeit a potentially watered-down version — into the Nothing Phone 2A. These latest image leaks suggest that may not be true.

It’s possible, though unconfirmed, that Nothing wants to find a way to better differentiate the Nothing Phone 2 and 2a, and the best way to do it is by ditching the Glyph interface. That might also help to bring the price down to a rumored $400, compared to the $599 Nothing Phone (2).

On Monday, just after the renders leaked, Nothing’s co-founder Akis Evangelidis posted nothing but a message containing an ellipsis to X. Exactly what that means is unknown, but needless to say, it caused plenty of speculation to run wild.

We’ll hopefully find out what the meaning behind the ellipsis is — and whether the renders are accurate — as we get closer to Mobile World Congress, where the Nothing Phone 2a is expected to debut.

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Nothing, the upstart smartphone maker that has come on strong over the past couple of years, has confirmed that its long-rumored, budget-friendly Nothing Phone  2a is a real handset that will soon be making its debut.

The company confirmed the phone’s existence in a YouTube video, where co-founder Akis Evangelidis talked about how the handset is in the works. “With Phone 2A we’ve really doubled down on the core user needs — performance, camera, you name it,” Evangelidis said.

Evangelidis stopped short of sharing specific features, including how the device’s performance and camera improvements will ultimately shake out. He did, however, say that the device will ship with “some of the most loved features of Phone 2.”

Rumors have been swirling about the Nothing Phone 2A for months. Most of those reports centered on the idea that the Phone 2A would come with a slightly lower-powered version of the Nothing Phone (2), allowing it to cost around $400, compared to the main phone's $599 starting price.

In order to bring the price down, Nothing will apparently scale back on the Glyph interface on the handset’s rear panel to limit what you can do with the marquee feature of previous Nothing handsets. Nothing Phone 2A may also ship with a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 system-on-chip, which is newer but less powerful than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 on board the Nothing Phone 2.

Those changes may be enough to keep the handset’s price down. Other reports have said Nothing Phone 2A will ship with the same dual 50-megapixel cameras as those in the Nothing Phone (2), as well as the same 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED in the more powerful version.

While Nothing appeared ready to say the Phone 2A exists on Thursday, the company didn’t confirm any of those rumors. The company also stopped short of saying how much the handset would cost and when it’ll launch, though rumors at the end of last year predicted a February 2024 debut, possibly at the Mobile World Congress phone trade show taking place that month.

If that's true, it may not be long before we finally feast our eyes on a budget friendly Nothing device and learn whether it can capture the same interest as its predecessors.

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Nothing has been trying to build a name for itself in the smartphone space with high-end handsets that look and act the part. But a new budget-friendly Nothing phone could be on the way, after Nothing Phone 2a details leaked out this week.

From the sound of the Twitter post by serial leaker Yogesh Brar, we could be seeing the Nothing Phone 2a — or Nothing Phone (2a) if the phone maker sticks with its current naming convention — in the coming months. The leaker specifically flags February's Mobile World Congress in Spain as the likely launching pad for the new phone.

More details will surely emerge between now and then, but Brar provided enough of the likely specs for the Nothing Phone 2a to compare it to the company's current flagship, the Nothing Phone (2a), which came out earlier this year.

The Nothing Phone (2) stands out from other Android phones with a Glyph interface on the rear panel. In essence, the Glyph interface allows for both first- and third-party apps to trigger an LED array that can light up at the same time or separately, depending on the setup. The idea is to let you know what’s happening on your phone if you have it lying face down; indeed, Nothing encourages users to set up notifications and other alerts that will trigger the lights to let them know what they’ve missed.

That Glyph interface is also slated to appear on the Nothing Phone 2a, according to Brar, though the budget phone reportedly will scale back that feature.

Brar, who has a solid track record of leaking mobile phone details, claims to have obtained a Production Validation Test (PVT) unit, suggesting the handset is getting close to launch. In addition to the Nothing Phone 2a’s specs leak, Brar also shared images of both the front and back. The front of the device looks similar to the Nothing Phone (2), though decidedly less sophisticated on the rear, owing in large part to the Glyph interface redesign.

Here's an early Nothing Phone 2a vs. Nothing Phone (2) comparison based on Brar's initial round of leaked specs for the upcoming phone.

Nothing Phone 2a vs. Nothing Phone price

The Nothing Phone (2) debuted at $599/£579/AU$1,049, a £180 markup from the cost of the Nothing Phone (1). (That original Nothing device didn't launch in the U.S.) From Brar's tweet, it sounds like Nothing hopes to go even further down the budget route with the 2a device — it's got a rumored price tag of $400.

If accurate that would undercut the U.S. pricing of such midrange U.S. phones as the Pixel 7a ($499), Galaxy A54 ($449) and iPhone SE ($429). However, the thing we're waiting to see is if Nothing finds wireless partners here in the U.S. to sell it budget model. If you want a Nothing Phone (2), you've got to buy it directly from the phone maker or from a few online retail sites.

Nothing Phone 2a vs. Nothing Phone design and display

We've mentioned the redesigned back of the Nothing Phone 2a and how it will reportedly scale back on the Glyphs that have been the hallmark of Nothing's flagship phones so far. Apart from that, device details about the phone's design are scarce.

Oh the display front, Brar is tipping the Nothing Phone 2a to have a 120Hz OLED panel, and the fine print on one of the photos included in his specs post indicates the phone will have a 6.7-inch screen. If true, all of that would match the display specs found on the Nothing Phone (2), suggesting it there's a place where Nothing is cutting costs, it won't be on the phone's screen.

Nothing Phone 2a vs. Nothing Phone cameras

Camera specs for the Nothing Phone 2a are fairly sparse at this point. All that Brar notes is that it will be a dual 50MP setup. That sounds suspiciously like the cameras on the Nothing Phone (2), which came equipped with a 50MP main camera and 50MP ultrawide shooter.

Brar didn't mention the front camera for the Nothing Phone 2a, but it would need a 32MP sensor to match what the Nothing Phone (2) offers. The photo in his tweet indicates a 16MP front shooter for the 2a, however.

Nothing Phone 2a vs. Nothing Phone performance and battery

Performance could be another major area where the Nothing Phone 2a departs from its predecessor. The Nothing Phone (2) shipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 — not Qualcomm's top-of-the-line chipset at the time of the phone's release, but not too far behind. It certainly provided more muscle than the silicon powering comparable midrange phones when we tested the Noting Phone (2).

Brar has the Nothing Phone 2a offering a MediaTek Dimensity 7200, which is a newer system-on-chip than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 series. However, it's not MediaTek's most powerful silicon and seems to be more comparable with less powerful chipsets in Qualcomm's lineup. We'd imagine that the Nothing Phone 2a is going to have a hard time keeping up with its sibling.

There's no word on the battery specs for the Nothing Phone 2a and how it might compare to the Nothing Phone (2)'s 4,700 mAh power pack. 

Nothing Phone 2a vs. Nothing Phone 2: Outlook

With a couple months before the Nothing Phone 2a's rumored launch, there's plenty of time for more concrete details to emerge about this lower-cost version of the Nothing Phone (2). Our interest is in confirming that rumored $400 price tag and finding out what sacrifices Nothing is making to shave around $200 off the cost of its flagship; we're also keen to learn more about the phone's availability.

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A recent leak has revealed our first look at the alleged Nothing Phone (2a). The images, shared on X by known leaker Yogesh Bar, give a good impression of what we could expect from the future Nothing release.  

The images shared are supposedly the Production Validation Test (PVT) unit, which is the final stage of prototyping before mass production. This would indicate that the specifications shared would be as close to the retail model as possible. 

It appears the Nothing Phone (2a) will come with a 120Hz OLED panel and run with a Dimensity 7200 processor. Which is an interesting diversion for the Nothing brand as the Nothing 2 was launched with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Perhaps Nothing is turning away from the majority of Android-running phones that make use of some form of the Snapdragon chipset. Looking at you, Samsung — the Galaxy S24 could be shipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 next year.

The Dimensity 7200 is by no means a weak cheap, but it pails in comparison to the Snapdragon series in most areas other than battery life. It could also be a cost-cutting measure by Nothing to make the phone more affordable. It should also be mentioned that the processor information is not shown in the two pictures, so this could be pure conjecture on Yogesh’s part.

One big change shown in the images is the location of the rear cameras. While the Nothing 2 had both cameras in a vertical position, the Nothing Phone (2a) apparently moved them to a vertical line. The post lists that both rear-facing cameras will output at 50MP, matching them with the Nothing 2's cameras. However, the front-facing camera has taken something of a downgrade, with it supposedly being dropped to only 16MP.

One thing the images don't make clear is if Nothing’s famous glyph interface will make a return on the rear of the phone. The phone in the post has its back covered by a privacy cover. However, looking closely we can almost make out that the Nothing Phone (2a) could make use of the same curved edges as its predecessor and the same narrow bezel.

In our review of the Nothing Phone 2, we listed the cameras as being one of the weaker aspects of the phone. As such, it is surprising to see that there appears to be little improvement in that regard. It is also interesting to note that the image appears to list the Nothing Phone (2a)’s battery at 1,000 mAh, a considerable downgrade from the 4,700 mAh of its predecessor.

This information should be taken with a pinch of salt due to the general lack of information. While some of the detailed specs would make sense, the use of a 120Hz screen, for instance, the specs of the chip still seem odd. As such, we will have to wait until the Nothing Phone (2a) reveal and release, which is rumored for some time in February during Mobile World Congress (MWC) in 2024

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The recent launch of Nothing's new messaging app, Nothing Chats, designed to bring a version of Apple’s iMessage to Android, went down like a lead balloon. Just one day after going live on the Google Play Store, Nothing pulled the app over serious security concerns. Now, two more vulnerabilities have purportedly come to light. 

As spotted by Android Authority, Android developer and reverse engineer Dylan Roussel, who previously blew the whistle on security issues with Nothing Chats and the Sunbird platform it's built on, recently shared on X two additional vulnerabilities centered around Nothing's infrastructure. 

The first dates back to September and was discovered in the CMF Watch app, which was reportedly developed in partnership with Nothing and a company called Jingxun. According to Roussel, while the app successfully encrypted both email and password information, the encryption method it used wasn't secure. Anyone with access to the same decryption keys would have all the tools to decrypt the information, which kind of defeats the purpose of encrypting it to begin with. 

Roussel said Nothing/Jingxun has since addressed this vulnerability, but the fix apparently only works for passwords. You could still allegedly decrypt the email address that is used as someone's username. 

As for the second vulnerability, exact details haven't been publicly released, but it purportedly relates to Nothing's internal data. The company was informed of it in August, and the issue remains unpatched.

In a statement to Android Authority, a Nothing spokesperson said the company is currently working to resolve the issues:

"CMF takes privacy issues very seriously and the team is investigating security concerns regarding the Watch app. We rectified initial credential concerns earlier in the year and are currently working to resolve the issues raised. As soon as this next fix is complete, we will roll out an OTA update to all CMF Watch Pro users."

The rep added that security reports are now easier to submit on CMF's security vulnerability report page.

Roussel previously blew the lid on how Sunbird, the platform Nothing Chats is built on, works by decrypting and transmitting messages via HTTP to a Firebase cloud-syncing server and storing them in unencrypted plain text. Thus, Sunbird messages are publicly visible via the Firebase real time database, and not encrypted. He also noted that Sunbird also has access to these messages, since they’re logged as errors by debugging service Sentry.

The official Nothing Chats page confirms that the beta app has been pulled from the Play Store, and the company now says it will be "delaying the launch until further notice" pending the fix of “several bugs."

One of the biggest selling points of iMessage is that it offers end-to-end encryption by default. Apple has cited additional security as one of the reasons why it will be adopting the RCS messaging standard next year. In both cases your messages are secure, and inaccessible by third parties — Apple included. Instead, Nothing promised end-to-end encryption, only to then store texts publicly in plaintext. It's quite the fumble — and whether it's one Nothing can recover from remains to be seen.  

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I held on as long as I could but at the end of last week, it was finally time to say goodbye to my trusty old Android smartphone and get acquainted with a new device.

Well it wasn’t really goodbye as my OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren is actually sitting on my desk next to me as I write this. Despite its ridiculously long name, my old OnePlus phone is one of the few Android devices without a notch or a camera cutout. Instead, it has a pop-up selfie cam that still works even though it’s a few days shy from being four years old.

While upgrading to a phone without an edge-to-edge display felt like a downgrade for the longest time, with no more Android updates coming and a battery that can’t make it through a whole day, I knew I had to find my next smartphone. Over the course of this year, I’ve been putting together a shortlist of the best Android phones for me that included the Pixel 6a and then the Pixel 7a, the OnePlus 11 and even the Lenovo ThinkPhone. 

On their own, these are all very capable smartphones but there's one thing they all lack: the wow factor. After owning the OnePlus 7T Pro, I want a smartphone that can still impress me after owning it for years. 

During the Made by Google event earlier this month, I almost convinced myself that upgrading to the Pixel 8 Pro would be worth it, even with the recent Pixel price hike. Getting a phone with seven years of Android updates guaranteed is the financially responsible move, even if I had to pay a bit more. However, I just couldn’t bring myself to switch to a Pixel, even with Google’s new AI tools and frequent Pixel Feature Drops.

You see, another Android smartphone had already caught my eye. Unlike the rest of the phones on my shortlist, the Nothing Phone (2) really does stand out thanks to its eye-catching and now improved Glyph Interface. But it’s the software powering Nothing OS and all of its unique customization options that really pushed me over the edge. Here’s why.

Not your average Android smartphone

Right when my Nothing Phone (2) arrived, I knew I was in for something special just from the box itself. Instead of the thicker, rectangular boxes all of my past smartphones came in, this one was square-shaped and highlighted the phone’s unique design before I even opened it. 

After I removed the outer cover which shows a close-up of the Nothing Phone (2)’s Glyph Interface, the all white box the phone came in had a textured outline with the same design. Once this was opened, I was left with the phone itself, a USB-C charging cable with transparent ends and a message explaining that the “Phone (2) has 53 parts made with sustainable materials” and that “its packaging is plastic free”. This “Earth first” mindset was just the first of many surprises though.

Unlike other smartphones with boring backs and large camera bumps, the Nothing Phone (2)’s back is completely transparent. This lets you see all of the hard work and engineering that went into the device while also being necessary for its Glyph Interface to work but more on that later.

I swapped the SIM card out of my old phone and began going through Nothing’s setup process. One thing that really stuck out to me was that the company gives you the option to go with its own Nothing visual style or to use Default Android instead. If other companies let you do this instead of forcing their Android skin on you, who knows, I might have picked up one of the best Samsung phones instead.

With my Nothing Phone (2) all set up, it was time to dig into Nothing OS and truly make the phone my own.

As customizable as it is cool

Although you can always use one of the best Android launchers to customize your phone to your heart’s content, I prefer to keep things as close to stock as possible. On my OnePlus 7T Pro though, I did eventually end up installing Nova Launcher. This was because OnePlus and its parent company OPPO decided to combine their source code and OnePlus’ OxygenOS started to more closely resemble OPPO’s ColorOS. As Nothing is its own company founded by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, I doubt anything like this will ever happen to Nothing OS.

One way in which the Nothing Phone (2) — and the Nothing Phone (1) for that matter — set themselves apart from other Android smartphones is by allowing you to add widgets and quick settings to both the home and lock screens. Most phones let you add two like your flashlight or camera on either side at the bottom but Nothing OS 2.0 takes things a step further.  

In this picture above, you can see how I currently have my lock screen set up on the left. Underneath the time, I have a compass in case I get lost as well as widgets for my smart lights and a calculator. This lets me quickly turn my lights on and off without unlocking my phone and I figure a calculator could come in handy when figuring out the tip at the end of a meal. 

The home screen is just as customizable with Nothing’s own widgets that let you access apps like Weather without having to actually open them. For instance, I can swipe up on the circle on the bottom left to see the current temperature as well as each day’s high and low. In the top left corner of my new phone, I’ve added a photo widget with pictures of my son that change each time I open the phone. This helps me keep what’s really important in mind instead of getting lost in my phone. 

The same goes for the app icons on the Nothing Phone (2). While you can use the colored icons for each app that you’re likely all too familiar with, on the Google Play Store you can also download the Nothing Icon Pack. Nothing’s own apps already use its minimalistic, monochrome color scheme but this icon pack applies the company’s theme to every single app on your phone, regardless of how obscure it may be. 

The reason behind this is that just like businesses do with their logos, companies use certain colors in their app icons to draw your attention to them. When every app’s icon looks the same, you’re going to open the particular app you were looking for when you took out your phone as opposed to getting sucked into an app you weren’t necessarily even thinking about.

Nothing OS and the smooth experience it provides overall have been enough to justify upgrading for me. However, when you flip the Nothing Phone around, that’s when things really get exciting.

A smartphone you’ll want to flip over

If this is your first time seeing the back of the Nothing Phone, you may be wondering why it has all these lights and what they’re for. Well, besides acting as a softer flashlight and a fill light for taking photos, the strips of light that make up Nothing’s iconic Glyph Interface each serve their own purpose, with some being more useful than others.

I won’t go into them all but here are a few of my favorites: the lightstrip at the bottom of the phone serves as a charging indicator, the one at the top right is used for essential notifications when the phone is flipped over in Flip to Glyph mode and the longer lightstrip underneath it can be set to act as a volume indicator. However, this one also had third-party app integrations (though only a few so far) and you can use it to see when your Uber is arriving for instance.

In addition to this, you can also use this lightstrip with Nothing’s Glyph timer — perfect for the Pomodoro Technique. I have my own Glyph Timer set to run for 30 minutes and so far, I’ve found it to be really helpful when I want to get some work done without distractions. You do have to flip the phone over to start your Glyph Timer (just like when you use Flip to Glyph to only see essential notifications) before you put it up on a stand like I’ve done here though.

The Glyph Interface is also used for notifications and incoming calls. When you get a notification or a call, it lights up in a preset pattern but you can assign a different one for each of the contacts in your phone. This is another neat feature and one you won’t find on any other smartphone.

You do need to download a separate Glyph Composer app but once it’s installed on your Nothing Phone, you can make your own Glyph Ringtones and save them. Personally, I’ve really just enjoyed trying out all of the different sound packs and playing my phone like a drum machine to entertain both myself and my toddler. So far, the creepy sounding DAN and 606, which is more like a drum kit, are my favorites. However, there’s also a Modem sound pack and even one developed in collaboration with Swedish House Mafia. 

Standing out while blending in

My old OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren was certainly ahead of its time and a unique phone in its own right but it pales in comparison to my new Nothing Phone (2). From the customizable software to its transparent back and Glyph Interface, there really isn’t any phone like it and probably won’t be for some time.

There is one aspect of the Nothing Phone I’ve entirely glossed over though. If you put it face up and side by side with one of the best iPhones, it’s quite hard for the average person to tell the difference. Those who know will be able to spot it but the Nothing Phone’s dimensions, outer frame, curvature and even its size are really quite close to an iPhone. After putting it next to my wife’s iPhone 14 Pro Max though, there’s one thing that Nothing did better than Apple: the phone’s volume and power buttons are slightly lower which makes them easier to reach.

I’m sure my family and even some of my friends might mistake my new Nothing Phone (2) for an iPhone. However, all I have to do is flip it over to show them one of the best things about Android. While Android phones will likely never be as ‘cool’ as an iPhone, you can still pick up a unique one like the Nothing Phone that actually tries to do something different for a change.

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A Nothing Phone (2) vs. Google Pixel 7a camera face-off centers around one of the top features people look at when considering what smartphone to buy. And there's plenty at stake for the Nothing Phone (2), given the camera quality of its predecessor.

That would be the Nothing Phone (1), and it would be safe to say we were underwhelmed with its camera quality. The first phone from Nothing performed poorly under low light conditions and with less dynamic range than some of the best camera phones at the time, including the Google Pixel 5a from 2021.

Needless to say, the pressure's on the new Nothing Phone. Just like many other people, I was enchanted by the head turning Glyph Interface in my initial Nothing Phone (2) hands-on, but after spending a full 24 hours with it, I was even more enamored by its fresher custom experience with Nothing OS 2.0. Still, I remained curious about its new dual-camera system, since in the back of my mind, I knew it was the defining feature that could make or break the phone.

Armed with a 50MP f/1.88 main camera paired with a 50-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide lens, the Nothing Phone (2) doesn’t look different on paper than the setup found on its predecessor. But there is a difference — the Nothing Phone (2)'s main camera uses a Sony IMX890 sensor, which supposedly produces wider dynamic range and sharper details with the help of a new advanced 18-bit Image Signal Process (ISP) system.

I don’t look much into the numbers because the Google Pixel 7a has shown us that you don’t need mighty 200MP cameras to produce stunning photos. It’s no wonder that Google's midrange phone made our list of best camera phones, where it shares space with flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Considering how the Pixel 7a sets the bar for what to expect out of a good performing camera phone, I decided to see how the Nothing Phone (2)’s upgraded camera system compares by snapping several photos below under different conditions. Here's how our Nothing Phone (2) vs Google Pixel 7a camera face-off shook out.

Nothing Phone (2) vs Google Pixel 7a camera face-off: Camera specs

Nothing Phone (2) vs Google Pixel 7a camera face-off: Main camera

Looking at the overall photos, it’s almost subjective on which main camera performs better. I will say that under sunny conditions, or when there’s ample lighting, the 50MP camera of the Nothing Phone (2) does a great job of capturing the scene — indicated by the photo above. Aside from how it skews on the warmer side, I think the Nothing Phone's shot holds up nicely against other top phones out there.

However, the 64MP Quad PD Quad Bayer camera of the Pixel 7a really flexes its muscle when I punch into the shots. That’s where I can make out its superior dynamic range, especially when I look at the shadows in the areas inside of the New York Public Library. Additionally, there are more details in the Pixel 7a’s shot when I crop the image and look at the sign on the left side of the library.

Winner: Google Pixel 7a

Nothing Phone (2) vs Google Pixel 7a camera face-off: Ultrawide camera

On paper, you might not think there is a huge difference between a 114-degree field of view for the Nothing Phone (2) and a 120-degree one as seen on the Pixel 7a. But the extra coverage certainly becomes helpful for certain situations, like taking a group shot with a lot of people in it. Or perhaps, taking a photo of something very close without having to step back to capture everything.

Not only does the 13MP wide-angle camera of the Pixel 7a capture more of the buildings on the left and right sides in the photo above, I also like how it continues to produce better dynamic range than the Nothing Phone (2)’s 50MP ultrawide camera.

Winner: Google Pixel 7a

Nothing Phone (2) vs Google Pixel 7a camera face-off: Front camera

Shockingly, I like the selfies I captured with the Nothing Phone (2) better than what the Pixel 7a produced. The Nothing Phone (2)'s 32MP front-facing camera captures more detail, while also offering adequate coverage for most of my upper torso. Dynamic range performance continues to be a challenge for it, but overall, I think it took better selfies.

It’s not to say that the 13MP camera on the front of the Pixel 7a is a letdown. Rather, I wish it didn’t have as tight of a crop. You’ll need to really stretch out your arms in order to get sufficient selfie coverage, while details were a tad bit softer.

Winner: Nothing Phone (2)

Nothing Phone (2) vs Google Pixel 7a camera face-off: Portrait mode

By default, the Nothing Phone (2) has its aperture set to f/5.6, but it can be adjusted anywhere between f/0.95 and f/16 to add that out-of-focus bokeh effect to the background of portrait shots. You don’t get to choose the aperture on the Google Pixel 7a.

Despite this, I think the Pixel 7a produced portrait photos that were more realistic while also showing off its superior dynamic range yet again. Even when I toned the bokeh down on the Nothing Phone (2), it didn’t do as good of a job at identifying the edges around me, resulting in an unrealistic, over processed composition.

Winner: Google Pixel 7a

Nothing Phone (2) vs Google Pixel 7a camera face-off: Video stabilization

With both phones topping out at 4K 60FPS video recording, I decided to look into how each one handles stabilization. The Nothing Phone (2) achieves this with the help of both optical and electronic stabilization, but the Pixel 7a does it relying on just OIS.

At first, I didn’t notice a tremendous difference between the footage, but I did see some micro jitters with the Nothing Phone (2) when I recorded handheld. Otherwise, Nothing's phone does a decent job at keeping videos stabilized, but those wobbles give Google's device the edge.

Winner: Google Pixel 7a

Nothing Phone (2) vs Google Pixel 7a camera face-off: Low light photos

If there’s one area where a superior camera can clearly stand out, it’s in the area of low light performance. Given how low light photography was one of the biggest shortcomings of the original Nothing Phone (1), I was desperately hoping that this new Sony IMX890 would make for a substantial improvement with the Nothing Phone (2).

Sadly, it doesn’t. It’s painstakingly noticeable when you look at the shots above. The difference is night and day, with the Nothing Phone (2) poorly exposed and with little detail. Meanwhile, the Pixel 7a’s low light shot draws out the colors in the leaves, along with details that make up the driveway leading into the garage.

Nothing Phone (2) vs Google Pixel 7a camera face-off: Outlook

I’m still putting the Nothing Phone (2) through its paces, like how much longer battery it’ll deliver, but I’ll admit that I’m soured a bit by its low light performance. I was honestly expecting better results considering the new sensor in tow. Of course, it’s only one portion of the pie — so there still may be hope for it!

Knowing that this year’s Nothing model is more expensive ($600 in the U.S.), it makes me scratch my head and wonder if the Nothing Phone (2) has enough merit to convince consumers to choose it over the less expensive Pixel 7a ($500). Google’s midrange phone is the benchmark for all other Android phones in this price range, so the Nothing Phone (2) needs to knock it out of the park in all the other areas to convince everyone it’s a far more valuable phone.

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If you know anything about the Nothing Phone (1) — and given it wasn’t released in the U.S., a lot of people don’t — it’s that it does clever things with strip lighting on the back, which dance to notifications, ringtones and charging status. 

This so-called glyph interface showed great potential, even if the phone was let down by middling performance and weak cameras.

The company is looking to put this right with the U.S.-bound Nothing Phone (2). It will be officially unveiled on Tuesday 11 July, but YouTuber Marques Brownlee got some early hands-on time with the phone where he explores the improvements to the popular lighting strips. 

Nothing seems to have doubled down on its big USP, maintaining the shape of the strip lighting, but upping the number of segments that combine to make its distinctive layout. There were five on the original phone, and now there are 11, with the lion’s share coming from the large shape in the middle: it was once one long strip and it’s now six. 

More importantly, the lights themselves have been upgraded. While they’re still just white LEDs, there are “more addressable LED zones inside of each strip”. Previously there were 12 lighting zones, and this has been upped to 33, with 16 of those found in one that can be used as a progress indicator. 

Press the volume switch up and down, and the light will adjust to tell you how loud it is. Set a glyph timer, and the light will slowly de-fill showing you how much time is left. Third-party developers can use this, and apparently Uber and Zomato have already signed up.

There’s limited customization too, with users able to designate an app to deliver “essential notifications”. In other words, if you have an app that you always want to be on top of, the light will stay lit until you check on what it’s updating you with. You can also use the glyph composer tool to program the sounds and lights of your ringtone.

None of this is what you’d call essential, and Brownlee is clear it sits somewhere on “the borderline between gimmick and useful”. But the other details that Nothing has previous revealed suggest that some of our wishes are being met. 

Indeed, confirmed details already fix two of our main bugbears, with a US release promised and the revelation that it will use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset. Granted, that’s not the fastest chip available, but it’s a step up from the mid-range Snapdragon 778G+ that left the original feeling underpowered. We can also look forward to three years of Android updates and a transparent USB cable to match the phone’s aesthetic. 

It might cost a bit more, of course, but we’ll know for sure next week when Nothing finally reveals its hand in full. 

More from Tom's Guide

• Nothing Phone (1) review: A brave and flashy start
• It’s official — Nothing Phone (2) is launching July 11
• Nothing Phone (2)'s rumored premium pricing is an unwelcome surprise

Brace yourself for the Nothing Phone (2) to cost a lot more than expected when it launches in a few weeks' time. A fact that may have been backed up by one of Nothing's founders.

French tech site Dealabs posted that the standard 256GB storage Phone (2) would sell for €729 (roughly $800) in France, or €849 (roughly $921) for a higher storage model (likely 512GB). Twitter user Alvin posted this story to Twitter, where Carl Pei, Nothing's MD and founder, unexpectedly responded.

Pei's comment seemingly endorses this leak. Equally, he could be just trying to make a joke, similar to how he's responded in the past to unofficial renders of the new Nothing phone, or even attempting to mislead followers so he can have the last laugh when announcing the official details at the launch event next month.

A flagship, not a flagship-killer

Even without Pei getting involved, these claimed prices are startling. The original Phone (1) sold for between €469 and €549 (roughly $500 - $600), almost half of the Phone (2)'s alleged price. The rumored Phone (2) pricetags do apparently include double the storage as well, but now means it's not a cheaper flagship-killer like the Phone (1) was, but a direct competitor for great premium phones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 or the Google Pixel 7.

Fortunately, we're expecting more upgrades on the Nothing Phone (2) than just extra space for your apps and photos. Official teasers from Nothing (via Forbes) have revealed the Phone (2) will get a Snapdragon 8-series chipset (specifically the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 from last year), instead of the lower-powered Snapdragon 778G that powered the Phone (1). The new model is also in line for a 4,700 mAh battery, which is a little larger than the Phone (1)'s 4,500 mAh cell.

Perhaps most importantly of all, the Nothing Phone (2) will be sold in the United States. The Phone (1) never made it to the U.S. due to Nothing's launch priorities, so it's good to see this sorted for the company's second try at a smartphone.

Nothing will launch the Phone (2) on July 11, which means we don't have to wait long to see if there's any truth to this pricing rumor, and if its upgraded features can handle being compared to proper flagship phones.

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We'll be seeing the Nothing Phone (2) launch July 11. And this handset is coming to the U.S. 

Nothing's next phone will debut at an online event starting at 11am EST (4pm BST) and streamed via Nothing's website. It was suspected that Nothing was about to make this announcement, not only because it's been about a year since the Nothing Phone (1) arrived, but also because a device believed to be the Phone (2) has been making the rounds to get certified for use in various countries.

To ramp up the hype and intrigue for the event, Nothing's using the tagline "Come to the bright side," and has also released a promo video showing the phone's name, its distinctive glyph interface, plus some octopus tentacles for good measure.

In a previous teaser, Nothing confirmed that it would be launching the Phone (2) in the U.S. market. The original Nothing Phone (1), while heavily promoted, wasn't sold in America. Now U.S. shoppers will be able to try and buy this device, but why would they want to? The rumor mill can tell us more.

Reasons to look forward to Nothing Phone (2) launch

The Phone (1) was a decent first try at making a phone, but Nothing was never going to dethrone the likes of Apple, Samsung and Google on its first attempt. Fortunately, Nothing's said it's aiming for a "more premium" product this time around than the middling-specced Phone (1) was, which could turn the heads of users who'd otherwise buy a Samsung Galaxy S23 or Google Pixel 7.

For rumored specs, the Phone (2) is looking like it'll use a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset (Nothing confirmed it was using an 8 series chip but not which version), a 6.67-inch 120Hz OLED display, 50MP dual cameras on the back, 256GB of storage and a 5,000 mAh battery. The only other detail currently confirmed by Nothing is that there will be three guaranteed years of software updates, taking the phone from Android 13 to at least Android 16.

When launch day finally arrives, we'll be keen to see what else Nothing may try to do to set itself apart from the smartphone establishment. Leaked renders suggest a design very similar to last year, including the unique Glyph Interface that gives various notifications and other information to the user without needing to check the display. The only major difference appears to be the edges, which will be curved on the Phone (2) after being flat on the Phone (1).

Stay tuned to our Nothing Phone (2) hub for all the latest news and leaks and our eventual review to see if Nothing has what it takes to crack our best phones list. 

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Update: See our full Nothing Phone (2) hands-on for our initial impressions.

The Nothing Phone (2) is now official, building on the groundwork laid by 2022's Nothing Phone (1). Details of the new phone paint a picture of a bolder successor that aims to address the shortcomings of the original, while throwing in some significant improvements.

Most notable is the fact that it's going to be sold in the U.S., which should help broaden the company's brand recognition outside of the fanbase community Nothing CEO Carl Pei helped to foster over the last year. It's an important step in the right direction to gain even more support from consumers as the company dives into the U.S. phone market.

So here’s everything you should know about the Nothing Phone (2).

Nothing Phone (2) release date, pre-orders and price 

Pre-orders for the Nothing Phone (2) are available right now directly through Nothing's website for customers in the U.S., U.K, and other markets in Europe. It starts at $599 for the base model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, with white and dark grey as the only color options that are available.

Interestingly enough, the Nothing Phone (2) received a much higher than its predecessor. In the U.K., the original sold for £399 when it launched last year, but you'll now have to fork over £579 for the Nothing Phone (2). Knowing that, it's made out to be more of a premium mid-ranger this time around. Despite the price hike, we're at least pleased to know that it's nowhere close to the expensive $900 cost it was rumored to be.

The Nothing Phone (2) will be available publicly through Nothing's site on Friday, July 17 at 4:00 AM ET.

Nothing Phone (2) specs

Some of the leaks according to a report from MySmartPrice turned out true, like how the Nothing Phone (2) would come with a 120Hz adaptive display, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a Snapdragon 8 series SoC from Qualcomm.

That chipset turned out to be the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, the same thing that powers flagship phones like the Motorola Razr+ and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. This upgraded piece of silicone should give it the necessary boost to handle even more tasks — like the camera's 18-bit Image Signal Process (ISP) to achieve higher dynamic range with photos. The switch from Snapdragon 778G+ to a Snapdragon 8 series chipset (confirmed by Nothing) should prove to be a major boon.

Beyond that, the specs aren’t hugely different from the Nothing Phone (1), which offered a choice of 8GB or 12GB of RAM, 128GB/256GB/512GB storage options, a slightly larger 4,700 mAh battery, and a 120Hz display refresh rate.

Nothing Phone (2) design

One of the biggest rumors about the Nothing Phone (2)'s design was how it would be swapping the original's flat sides for curved ones. That didn't turn out true because it's still rocking flat edges that allow it to stand upright on a flat surface. However, the glass on the back of the phone is ever so curved slightly around the edges. Otherwise, the transparent design from the Phone (1), Nothing Ear (1) and Nothing Ear (Stick) is carried over. 

Carl Pei told inverse that he believes “[U.S.] consumers as a whole are quite bored and indifferent [with existing phones]” and “foot traffic into the stores for people checking out new phones hasn't increased.” Pei does have a point. Foldable phones are still new and rare enough to be a novelty, but otherwise the majority of phones are still just glass-enclosed rectangles. The last time we saw any significant design change was the launch of the dual-curved Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge in 2015.

A transparent phone isn’t what we’d call a disruptive design, but it was interesting enough to make the Nothing Phone (1) stand out — so it's wonderful that the  Nothing Phone (2) continues that trend.

The biggest change to the design revolves around the Glyph Interface on the back of the phone. While the overall design of the notification lighting system remains unchanged from a cursory look, Nothing actually separated more of the strips. With more individual LED light strips, it's able to provide even more personalization.

Additionally, the punch hole cut out with the front-facing camera has shifted and is centered along the top of the display, as opposed to it being perched in the upper left corner like before.

Nothing Phone (2) cameras

There's not a whole lot change on paper if you're to quickly graze over the specs sheet for its cameras. The dual-camera setup of the Nothing Phone (2) consists of a 50-megapixel f/1.88 main camera accompanied by a 50-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide lens.

Even though the cameras may appear no different from what the original was rocking, the Nothing Phone (2) is leverage a different sensor — the Sony IMX890 to be exact.

Paired with the extra processing power of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, it should address some of the shortcomings we experienced using the cameras of the Nothing Phone (1). Nothing is also lending a boost to the camera by with the help of an 18-bit  8-bit Image Signal Process (ISP) that should deliver wider dynamic range with its capture. 

Considering the underwhelming camera performance of the original, like how images looked washed out compared to the Google Pixel 5a, this new camera sensor is a welcome change that should deliver sharper results and a tremendous boost to its low light performance. 

Video recording on the Nothing Phone (2) is now 4K at 60fps, which pulls it up to the standards of some of the best camera phones out there — while the pairing of EIS and OIS will help steady the footage.

Nothing Phone (2) software

Much like OnePlus’s OxygenOS, Nothing OS is designed to be a more minimalist take on the Android operating system. Despite the name, though, Nothing OS is a custom Android user interface rather than a standalone operating system. But the good news is that, unlike some phone makers, Nothing hasn’t overloaded its take on Android with bloat and frivolous extras.

While Nothing OS 1 was originally based on Android 12, it has since been updated to Nothing OS 1.5, which is based on Android 13. The Nothing Phone (2) is running Nothing OS 2.0, changes things up by introducing these clean looking widgets that mimic the minimalistic approach of the experience. Other small touches include monochrome icons and a grid design that makes Nothing OS 2.0 distinctive.

Nothing has confirmed that we can expect three years of software updates for the Nothing Phone (2), along with four years of security updates. Google offers similar software support for its Pixel phones, though it includes an extra year of security support.

Nothing Phone (2) outlook

By improving on the Phone (1)’s faults, and a presence in the U.S., Nothing has everything to gain with the Nothing Phone (2). And that's despite the phone's increase in price to make it more of a premium mid-range smartphone.

It's hard to say at this moment whether or not the upgrades will justify the value of the Nothing Phone (2), but it's sure to continue turning heads whenever it's spotted in the wild. 

Some much-needed upgrades to the Nothing Phone (2) are apparently on the way when the phone arrives in a few months, says a leaker speaking to MySmartPrice.

The unnamed tipster claims the next Nothing handset will be arriving in Q3 of this year, with company CEO Carl Pei already confirming a U.S. launch (via MSP) and that the device will have a "premium edge."

The most interesting thing the tipster had to say was that the Phone (2) would run on an unannounced Snapdragon 8 series chip. That sounds like it could be the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 2 Plus, the assumed follow-up to the regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy that just arrived with the Galaxy S23.

The Nothing Phone (1) runs on a Snapdragon 778G Plus chipset, an SoC from the next rung down on the Qualcomm Snapdragon power ladder. It meant it didn't impress in the performance stakes compared to phones with flagship-grade chips like the Google Pixel 6a or iPhone SE 2022, but it sounds like the Phone (2) could rectify this, and even beat recent flagship Android phones if it uses an upgraded 8 Gen 2 chip.

Another alleged Phone (2) upgrade will come in the form of a 5,000 mAh battery. That would make for an increase of 500 mAh over the Phone (1), which would hopefully go some way to boosting the Phone (1)'s already strong battery life even further.

The Phone (2) is also supposed to get 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, the same as the top-spec version of the Phone (1). Nothing will also apparently add support for virtual RAM, a feature used on PCs and laptops and by other phone makers such as Samsung that uses a small portion of storage as bonus RAM when needed, helping with multitasking and juggling apps.

The last detail from the rumor is that the Phone (2) will feature a 120Hz display refresh rate like the Phone (1). The leaker gives no other details, although we'd expect Nothing to stick with the same 6.55-inch, FHD panel the Phone (1) has for the time being.

We found the Nothing Phone (1) to be a promising start for a company aiming to take on what it sees as a stale smartphone market, but for most users an equivalently-priced iPhone or Google Pixel is likely a better buy. If the rumored upgrades do come through for the Phone (2), perhaps Nothing will finally have a shot at having one of the best cheap phones or best Android phones on the market.

The Nothing Phone (1) was expected to make a big splash in the Android phone market when it launched earlier this year. Unfortunately, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei’s new phone had a glaring problem — it wasn’t available in the U.S.

That’s a problem that could be going away sooner rather than later. As reported by Hypebeast, [ex] Pei announced an expansion into the U.S. market on December 15 via Twitter. [ex]. This announcement coincided with the launch of Nothing’s Nothing OS 1.5 beta, [ex] which aims to bring a version of Android 13 to the cheap phone.

While current Nothing Phone (1) users can sign up for the beta through their phone, it appears that U.S. beta testing of the OS will also involve beta testing the U.S. version of the phone itself. 

At this time, there is nothing officially known about the U.S. market testing program aside from Pei’s tweet. We will update accordingly if signup for a U.S. beta becomes available to the general public. 

Nothing OS 1.5: Expected upgrades 

While the next version of Nothing’s bespoke Android 13 operating system is still in beta testing, Nothing has provided a list of expected upgrades compared to the Android 12-based Nothing OS 1. 

The biggest highlight is easily faster app loading speed. Nothing promises a 50% increase in app loading speed, which is a major performance improvement, not just a quality-of-life upgrade. Given that in our Nothing Phone (1) review we knocked the phone for its mediocre performance, this could drastically improve how we view the phone. 

Other expected performance upgrades include the ability to close active background apps directly from the notification center to save battery and increased background memory. It also is expected to bring a self-repair feature that “keeps the Phone (1) running like it’s new” by “clearing unused cache and expired system dumps.”

Time will tell how these updates improve the phone, or how U.S. testing of the phone goes. But for now, if you want a great mid-range Android phone and you live in the U.S. the clear choice is the Google Pixel 6a. It is our best cheap phone — Android or not — and brings the power of Google’s Tensor chip to a budget phone. Plus, right now you can get the Google Pixel 6a for just $299 at Amazon, making it even more budget-friendly. 

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