The tech world is abuzz with speculation about Nothing’s next generation of mid-range phones.
With the company now having confirmed the date for its first event of the year, plenty of people are wondering just what Nothing might have up its sleeve.
The Phone (2a) launched back in March 2024, so a successor is due soon. Will we see it at the upcoming event? Here’s everything you need to know about the Nothing Phone (3a).
When will the Nothing Phone (3a) be released?
Nothing has confirmed that it will be holding an event on 4 March 2025 at 10am GMT (UK time).
The tagline ‘Power in Perspective’ and teaser don’t give much away, but the Phone (3a) is likely to be among the announcements.
However, will we see a Phone (3a) Plus or potentially the more premium Phone (3) at the event? Time will tell.
For context, the Phone (2a) made its debut in March, so a successor a year later would make sense. But the Phone (2) is even older, having launched in July 2023.
The Phone 2a Plus didn’t arrive until August 2024, so it seems the least likely of the three.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Previously, Android Authority spotted “asteroids,” and “asteroids_plus” codenames in the latest Nothing OS 3.0 builds based on Android 15.
Based on leaked Geekbench benchmarks (via SmartPrix), these are said to be for the Nothing Phone (3a) (asteroids) and the Nothing Phone (3a) Plus (asteroids_plus.)
How much will the Nothing Phone (3a) cost?
Pricing for the Phone (3a) hasn’t been officially revealed, but speculation suggests it will be positioned as a mid-range phone.
Its predecessor, the Phone (2a), was priced competitively, and the Phone (3a) could fall into a similar bracket, with an expected starting price of around £319/€329 for the standard model and around £399/399 for the Plus variant.
What specs and features will the Nothing Phone (3a) have?
Design
Nothing is known for its distinctive transparent design language and Glyph Interface on the back of its phones, so the Phone (3a) and (3a) Plus are likely to retain this unique aesthetic.
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
While specifics aren’t available yet, it would be surprising if Nothing deviated far from the sleek, minimalist look that has become its hallmark.
Display
The phones could feature a 6.5-inch or 6.7-inch OLED display, being on par with the previous models and delivering vibrant colours and deep blacks.
While there’s no word yet on refresh rates or resolution, a 120Hz panel is a strong possibility, given the market trend and Nothing’s focus on delivering smooth user experiences.
Performance
The Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Plus are reportedly set to transition from MediaTek chipsets to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, according to insights from the latest Nothing OS 3.0 builds on Android 15 (via Android Authority). This would mark a departure from the MediaTek processors used in the Phone (2a) and its Plus variant.
This chipset is a solid mid-range performer, offering a prime core clocked at 2.5 GHz, three performance cores at 2.4 GHz, and four efficiency cores at 1.8 GHz.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Benchmark scores for the A059 model (believed by GSMArena to be the Phone (3a)) suggest strong performance, with Geekbench results of 1,149 (single-core) and 2,813 (multi-core).
Paired with 8GB of RAM, the device should handle multitasking and gaming with ease.
Cameras
The same report suggests that the Phone (3a) may also debut with a telephoto camera, while the Phone (3a) Plus could introduce a periscope zoom camera, marking a significant upgrade as these would be the first Nothing phones to include dedicated zoom cameras.
Previous Nothing handsets only offered dual camera setups with main and ultrawide lenses. The official teaser for the event reveals what could be the outline of a rear camera module, but it’s unclear if this would house a triple-lens setup or dual with a separate flash.
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
They could also feature upgraded main sensors and potentially introduce software enhancements for improved photography in low light and dynamic conditions.
Expect at least the same 50Mp main lens + 50Mp ultrawide lens + 32Mp selfie camera setup from the Phone (2a), with a chance of getting a 50Mp front shooter from the Phone (2a) Plus.
Battery & Charging
Battery capacity hasn’t been disclosed, but fast charging is a safe bet, likely supported via USB-C.
Given Nothing’s focus on practicality, the Phone (3a) and (3a) Plus might also include wireless charging, though this hasn’t been confirmed.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
As a reminder, the Phone (2a) offers 5000mAh battery and support for 45W wired charging, while the Plus variant raised the bar to 50W.
Software
Out of the box, the Phone (3a) and (3a) Plus are expected to run Android 15 with Nothing’s custom interface over the top.
Known for its clean and bloatware-free experience, the software is a highlight of the Nothing ecosystem. Future updates are also likely to keep the device fresh for several years.
Additionally, both models are likely to support eSIM functionality (via Android Authority), a first for the brand, offering options for either one physical SIM and one eSIM or two physical SIMs.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
This is all we currently know about the Phone (3a) and its Plus variant release. In the meantime, be sure to check what exactly the flagship Phone (3) could bring to the table later this year.
