Nothing is building on its popular Phone (2) with the new Phone (2a), which comes with a powerful processor, 50MP dual rear camera, bright and flexible AMOLED display, and intuitive OS.
The Phone (2a) is powered by a Dimensity 7200 Pro processor that was co-engineered with MediaTek to deliver optimal power efficiency and performance. It also offers 20 GB RAM with RAM Booster technology, anc an 8-core chip that clocks speeds up to 2.8 GHz.
Together, Nothing and MediaTek have introduced optimizations like Smart Clean (+200% UFS read/write speed over prolonged usage) and Adaptive NTFS (+100% file transfer speeds with Windows computers) and have been able to reduce power consumption of specific components by up to 10%, say the companies.
Equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery, you’ll get up to two days per charge. Nothing has also increased battery longevity by over 25%, so the phone can maintain over 90% of its maximum capacity after 1,000 charging cycles. The battery also has a 13% reduction in temperature when charging and discharging compared to Phone (1), which contributes to its longevity. For rapid power-ups, Phone (2a) supports 45W Fast Charging, delivering 50% of power in just 20 minutes.
The dual 50 MP rear camera is powered by our TrueLens Engine, a series of advanced computational algorithms. This includes Ultra XDR, which has been co-developed with Google to ensure a more accurate display of highlights and shadows in every shot. It works by capturing eight frames at different exposure levels in RAW format, and then adjusting the brightness of each pixel up to five times to display the most true-to-life result.
The phone also has a 32 MP front camera that uses the same sensor as Phone (2), which has 27% more light sensitivity versus Phone (1) and enables more details.
Phone (2a) has a 6.7″ flexible AMOLED display that delivers accurate colour reproduction of 1.07 billion colours while minimizing battery consumption. Peak brightness is 1,300 nits, and refresh rate is up to 120Hz, adapting from 30Hz as needed to conserve battery life.
With a thin bezel measuring just 2.1mm on all four sides, the cameras are inside the NFC coil, which produces a look like eyes on the phone. The 90° angle unibody cover wraps around the edges, seamlessly integrating the dual camera module. Along with creating a unique look, this also makes the phone more durable, with improved drop test results. The camera ‘bump’ also helps stabilize the phone when it’s lying flat on a surface and minimize finger obstructions when taking a picture.
Phone (2a) comes loaded with the Nothing OS 2.5 and Android 14 out of the box, with three years of software updates and four years of security updates.
With Nothing OS 2.5, Nothing has expanded its library with more Nothing-designed widgets and swipeable views and animations for more information and interactions on your home screen. Phone (2a) marks the launch of a new Recorder widget which allows you to create voice memos on-the-go. Plus Nothing has introduced an AI-powered Wallpaper Studio, which enables unlimited personalized wallpaper options for your home and lock screen.
On the back of the phone, Phone (2a) reimagines the iconic Glyph Interface. A new way to interact with a smartphone that encourages people to put their screens down and refer to light and sound patterns for key information. The new Glyph Interface still retains the new capabilities of Phone (2), including the Glyph Timer and Glyph Progress that uses third-party integrations, while contributing to the distinct aesthetic of Phone (2a)’s new back design with a unique trio-light configuration.
Phone (2a) delivers Nothing’s lowest carbon footprint in a smartphone. At 52 kg, it’s 12.5% lower than that of Phone (1). With sustainability goals in mind, Nothing has developed a new recycling process in Nothing’s manufacturing plant, which allows for plastic waste from the Ear (2) production line to be repurposed into Phone (2a). Nothing has also maintained its commitment to plastic-free packaging, using recycled fibre instead. The device itself also contains a number of recycled materials, including 100% recycled aluminium used in the mid frame, 100% recycled tin on six circuit boards, 100% recycled copper foil on the main circuit board, recycled steel on 22 steel stamping parts, and over 50% of the plastic parts are sustainably sourced.
The Nothing Phone (2a) comes in black, white, or Milk and an 8GB RAM, 128GB storage option, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage option (India only), or 12GB RAM, 256GB storage option. The starting price is 329 Euros, or about $485 Canadian. The phone will be publicly available to most global markets starting March 12, 2024. In the U.S. market, the black 12GB/256GB option will be available for US$349 through the Developer Program.
As part of the Phone (2a) launch, Nothing is announcing its first partnership in the AI space with Perplexity, the AI powered answer engine. Eligible individuals that purchase Phone (2a) between March 5-19 can receive up to a year of Perplexity Pro.