(Credit: Eric Zeman)
BARCELONA—Nothing had something to show off at Mobile World Congress, but not a whole lot to say about it. The company's next phone, the Nothing Phone (2a), will get its full debut during a March 5 event but it got a quick reveal under glass during the world's largest mobile trade show.
Like its predecessors, Nothing's next phone features a transparent indudstrial design. The rear panel of this Android phone is clear and allows you to see elements of the phone's internals. Primarily, however, the Nothing Phone (2a) carries over the illuminated Glyphs of previous Nothing phones.
The company did not say how the Glyphs will behave on the Phone (2a), but based on what we saw in Barcelona it will be slightly different than earlier Nothing phones. Nothing's first two devices had five or more animated Glyph lights on the rear panel. The Phone (2a) has just three. Nothing didn't say how this would effect the Glyph interface as far as notifications are concerned. The Glyphs generally provide basic information about incoming calls and messages based on the light patterns.
"Phone (2a) has been engineered with a focus on providing the optimal daily smartphone experience, doubling down on core user needs, with all of Nothing’s expertise and craftsmanship," said the company in a video message posted to its user community earlier this month. "Phone (2a), codenamed Aerodactyl, leverages some of the most loved Phone (2) features while ensuring a clear upgrade compared to Phone (1) on every front."
The Phone (1) arrived in 2022 and the Phone (2) followed in 2023. The second phone mostly upped the internal specs to provide more performance. It appears as though the Nothing Phone (2a) will fall somewhere in between the Phone (1) and Phone (2) in terms of capabilities while still making advancements with the Glyph Interface.
The (2a) will not be as widely available in the US as the company's previous phones. If you want one, you'll have to go to Nothing's website and register as a developer. Only then will you be given a link to a purchase page. The phone supports AT&T's 4G LTE network and T-Mobile's 5G network in the US, but it will not run on Verizon's network.
We'll have more information about the Nothing Phone (2a) after the March 5 event.
Like What You're Reading?
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
Sign up for other newsletters
Read the latest from Eric Zeman
- Apple Pencil Gen 1 vs. Gen 2 vs. USB-C vs. Pro: What's the Difference?
- First Look at Motorola's Mocha Mousse-Colored Razr+
- Post-Cyber Monday Tablet Deals: Swipe Hundreds in Savings
- Smartphones Still On Sale After Cyber Monday: Galaxy, iPhone, Pixel, More
- Some of My Favorite Earbuds and Headphones Are Up to 40% Off for Cyber Monday
- More from Eric Zeman
