Nothing Phone 2a release date speculation, rumored specs, and price

With a memorable name such as the Nothing Phone, has this new unique smartphone got the goods to go toe-to-toe with the established mid-range market? Let’s dive into the Nothing Phone 2a release date, specs, and price. The London tech brand Nothing captured the attention of the tech community with its bold transparent-backed phones and customizable interfaces, and with the Nothing Phone 2a the company looks to transfer the hype of its flagship Nothing Phone 2 over to its newer and cheaper alternative.

Nothing has given us plenty to think about while we wait for the expected announcement of the Nothing Phone 3 later this year,and that includes an imminent launch date for the Nothing Phone 2a. In this article, we’ll run through everything we know about the Nothing Phone 2a so far.

Nothing Phone 2a rumored specs

So far, Nothing has been pretty successful in keeping the specs of the Phone 2a under wraps, but that hasn’t stopped unverified leakers from sharing their thoughts on what the Phone 2a will have to offer. We’ve drawn on rumors from Yogesh Brar on X (formerly Twitter), but course we’ll have to wait until the recently confirmed launch event on the 5th of March, 2024, to weigh in on the official specs of the new Nothing phone.

Nothing Phone 2a release date speculation

Initially, there were unconfirmed reports that Nothing might launch the Phone 2a on February 27 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. However, Nothing has now officially confirmed that the Nothing Phone 2a will launch on March 05, 2024. The event will begin at 11.30 am UK time, which translates to 6.30 am ET and 3.30 am PT. It’s unclear at this time whether or not the phone will get released immediately following the launch event, or if they’ll be a short gap between launch and release.

Nothing Phone 2a rumored features

Display and design

The Nothing Phone 2a is rumored to feature an AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1,080 x 2,412 pixels. This display quality is expected to be similar to the flagship Nothing Phone 2, providing a vibrant and smooth visual experience, and keeping up with its competitors working with phones at similar price points.

In terms of design, there isn’t too much to go on, and we don’t have too clear of an idea of what the Phone 2a will look like. However, it’s hoped that some of the most popular features from the Nothing 1 and Nothing 2 will return, such as the iconic glyph interface and clear back panel, will come to its next phone. Recent unofficial renders from Smartprix‘s collaboration with @OnLeaks suggest that design changes might come in the form of a dual-camera setup placed on a central circular cutout in the back panel, surrounded by the iconic glyph lights. These might not be confirmed, but we do know that the Nothing 2a will be as unique-looking as its predecessors.

Cameras

An interesting leak by @Sunnington on Weibo hints that the Nothing Phone 2a could potentially come with a central rear camera setup, a departure from the dual cameras located in the top corner of the Nothing Phone 2. According to further rumors, the phone will sport a 50MP primary camera and a 50MP ultrawide camera. The primary sensor is rumored to be the Samsung S5KGN9 with a 1/1.5-inch sensor, while the ultrawide sensor is said to be the S5KJN1 with a 1/2.76-inch sensor. On the front, the phone is speculated to have a 32MP selfie camera. While these stats are unconfirmed, promotional videos from Nothing on YouTube have stated that the camera capabilities were at the core of the phones creation, in response to consumer demand.

Chipset and performance

While the Nothing Phone 2 was equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, the Nothing Phone 2a has now been confirmed to feature the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset. Although it is considered a bit of a processing downgrade, the Dimensity 7200 is still a capable chip for a phone that’s looking to cut costs. However, according to a recent promotional video, the MediaTek SoC out-performed the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7S Gen 2, so it’s unlikely that the performance will disappoint.

In terms of storage, we could be looking at two potential variants of the Nothing Phone 2a: one with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and another with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

Nothing Phone 2a rumored price

While official pricing details are yet to be disclosed, recent leaks indicate that the Nothing Phone 2a could be its most affordable option of yet. According to a leaked post, the phone could even be expected to cost less than 400 Euros. Although there is no specific information about the US or UK price, it is likely to be under $500/£400, following the trend of competitive pricing and the aim to keep the cost lower than the £579 ($731) base model price of the Nothing Phone 2. The full pricing structure will be revealed following the launch date, so we’ll have to hold on till then to confirm official figures.

Nothing Phone 2a – what we want to see

Better battery

Considering the similarities in display and the downgrade in chipset, it’s crucial for the Nothing Phone 2a to have a battery life comparable to its predecessor. The Nothing Phone 2 lasted for just over fifteen hours in battery tests, so it would be ideal for the Nothing Phone 2a to at least come close to that, if not outperform this figure.

An American release

In the past, the Nothing series has not always been released in the United States. The original Nothing Phone was not available stateside, and the Nothing Phone 2 faced delays until late 2023. So, it would be great to see the Nothing Phone 2a have a global simultaneous release, ensuring availability for users worldwide that have become intrigued by the unique Nothing phones.

Similar price levels globally

Assuming a potential global launch for the Nothing Phone 2a, it would be beneficial for the phone’s price to remain consistent across regions. With a rumored price of under 400 euros, the Nothing Phone 2a could be positioned as a better deal compared to competitors like the Pixel 7a or iPhone SE, which come at a slightly higher cost.

Is the Nothing Phone 2a worth the wait?

The Nothing Phone 2a is generating excitement as the company’s first budget phone, and their effective marketing strategy is showing the product has clearly had a lot of thought put into it. With rumors suggesting an affordable price, impressive specifications, and a release date around the corner, the Nothing Phone 2a could be a strong contender in the mid-range smartphone market. While these are of course, speculations, there’s not much doubt that this will be another unique and eye-catching device from Nothing, that seems to be achieving its goal of shaking up the smartphone market.