There is no reason to be silent about new releases. The London-based phone company's media push is largely based on leaking information about the devices bit by bit. It's been a solid strategy so far (if a bit annoying as someone who covers this world), since many of its announcements have been first-generation products, each generating buzz beyond the company's loyal fan base.
Nothing that the Phone (2a) fits the bill for sure. Although it is actually the company's third phone, it is aimed squarely at a different demographic than the flagship (1) and phone (2). The “a” bit, as you've probably learned from previous phones, indicates a budget focus. In recent years, this has mostly been a game of deciding which key features can be sacrificed to bring the price down, while maintaining as close to a premium feel as possible.
After much teasing and a handful of official image releases, the Phone (2a) finally saw the light of day (well, the warm glow of a Barcelona night) at MWC 2024. More specifically, it was the guest of honor at last night's Nothing After Show Party, glowing in all its low-key glory. The price is inside a glass box. Other than that, nothing else was low key at the major mobile phone trade show, as a no-show was chosen on the floor.
As Operation Ivy puts it about Plato's account of Socrates, “All I know is that I know nothing.” Details are few and far between at the moment. However, the design tells us a lot about the product. For starters, it's no surprise that Nothing has retained some of the transparent aesthetic of the rest of the line. The illuminated glyphs are back too – although they cover much less surface area than other models, and have been moved to three bars at the top.
The Phone (2a) retains the dual-camera setup of the Phone (2), although it has been moved to the centre. I'm curious to know if this is primarily a practical or aesthetic decision. Since nothing is focused on the design, I wouldn't be surprised if it was simply moved to differentiate the device from its flagships. Whatever the case, this is a good-looking and (apparently) solid budget phone. The back may be a little too busy for some, but – as always – I appreciate that it doesn't do anything to break the same design that most manufacturers have settled on.
We don't know details about the camera setup other than the number and orientation, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's a step down from the Phone(2), as the camera configurations certainly contribute to the manufacturing price. However, we do know that the phone will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset – a variant designed specifically for the device.
Price is still very much an open question, and an important one at that.
