Nothing is taking transparency to the next level as Phone (3a) production kicks off
Nothing, the London-based brand started by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, is gearing up for the launch of its next mid-range smartphone, the Phone (3a) series. With the March 4 event just around the corner, the company is keeping the hype alive by dropping teasers and revealing more details about the upcoming device.
Nothing confirmed that production of the Phone (3a) is already in full swing in India. The upcoming mid-range device is being assembled at a factory in Chennai, where over 500 workers are on the job – an impressive 95% of them being women.
This move comes as Nothing celebrates impressive growth in the Indian market, where the company recently saw a 577% year-over-year increase in 2024, fueled by strong demand for the Phone (2a) series and its CMF by Nothing sub-brand. Taking a page from Apple’s playbook, Nothing proudly points out that the Phone (3a) series combines British design flair with India’s manufacturing expertise.
Now, while Nothing is keeping things mysterious with its usual cryptic teasers, we know quite a bit so far about the Phone (3a) series. It’s expected to run on the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, with two configurations: 8GB RAM + 128GB storage or a beefier 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant.
The display is also getting an upgrade, growing to a 6.8-inch 1080p OLED panel with a buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate. But the most exciting change? A telephoto camera. Rumored to be a 50 MP 2x zoom shooter, this third lens was recently spotted in a leaked hands-on image, confirming the upgrade.
There’s also talk of a brand-new button on the device, and while its purpose remains unclear, it could be a dedicated camera button – possibly something similar to the iPhone 16’s camera control button. If that’s the case, it might function as a shutter key and even assist with zooming, which would go hand in hand with the Phone (3a)’s telephoto lens.
If Nothing does indeed bring a telephoto lens to the Phone (3a), it would be a rare move in the mid-range space, where zoom cameras are still pretty uncommon.
Take the competition, for example – the Pixel 9a, expected in March, likely won’t have one, and neither will Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy A36 and A56. Apple’s next budget contender, the iPhone SE 4, rumored to launch as early as February 11, isn’t expected to join the zoom game, too. In fact, it might stick to just a single rear camera.
That means Nothing could have an edge, especially for those who want a more versatile camera setup without jumping to a flagship.
This move comes as Nothing celebrates impressive growth in the Indian market, where the company recently saw a 577% year-over-year increase in 2024, fueled by strong demand for the Phone (2a) series and its CMF by Nothing sub-brand. Taking a page from Apple’s playbook, Nothing proudly points out that the Phone (3a) series combines British design flair with India’s manufacturing expertise.
Nothing is also keeping the hype alive by dropping more teaser images of the Phone (3a), fueling speculation about what’s in store. The latest hint suggests that while the phone will stick to Nothing’s signature aesthetic, it might take transparency to the next level with a polycarbonate back – a lighter alternative to glass.
Intricate. From the inside-out. pic.twitter.com/cCxjLRgcmL
— Nothing (@nothing) February 10, 2025
The display is also getting an upgrade, growing to a 6.8-inch 1080p OLED panel with a buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate. But the most exciting change? A telephoto camera. Rumored to be a 50 MP 2x zoom shooter, this third lens was recently spotted in a leaked hands-on image, confirming the upgrade.
That means Nothing could have an edge, especially for those who want a more versatile camera setup without jumping to a flagship.
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