Like last year, the London-based independent smartphone company Nothing announced a new model during Mobile World Congress. The Phone (3A) line continues Nothing’s trend of distinct visual design with modernized cameras and an artificial intelligence feature: Essential Space.
Two models make up the Phone (3A) line: (3A) and (3A) Pro.
- The basic (3A) model costs $379; it can be preordered starting March 4, shipping March 11.
- The (3A) Pro model costs $459; it can be ordered starting March 11, shipping March 25.
UK-based Nothing phone has limited U.S. availability
To get a Nothing phone in the U.S., you’ll need to be enrolled in the company’s beta program, which has been in place since the (2A) line and provides the same unit that can be purchased globally. Beta program users are encouraged to participate in community forums and provide feedback.
Compatibility with U.S. phone carriers can be limited, and 5G is generally not supported. Nothing phones are compatible with global networks worldwide.
Phone (3A) line has impressive specs and design
- Both models of the Phone (3A) have 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.
- Both models boast 6.77 inches of screen space.
- The Pro offers a premium camera with a 3x periscope telephoto lens compared to the base model’s 2x zoom.
- The battery life supports up to 26 hours of YouTube video.
- The Nothing OS 3.1 operating system is based on Android 15 and comes with three years of Android updates.
Nothing’s distinct rear lights sync with applications
The geometric design is intended to have more of “a sense of sophistication” compared to its predecessor. The Nothing phone’s geometric design and prominent ring around the cameras will likely have your friends asking what kind of phone you have. The “Glyph” interface, as Nothing calls the ring of lights around the camera, enable an interface unlike anything on a mainstream smartphone: Those lights can indicate notifications, go off in conjunction with alarms, sync up to music, or indicate a countdown when taking a picture.
Essential Space organizes your content with AI
Inside the Nothing (3A) line sits a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 5G processor built on TSMC’s 4nm process. A Hexagon Tensor Accelerator AI engine enables the Essential Space function. This unique function has a designated button to take you to a panel including personalized suggestions, summaries, or to-dos.
Nothing said the AI function is “coming soon” – for now, the Essential Space will be populated by screenshots or photos you’ll choose manually. Voice memos can be paired with the screenshots in order to take notes of what about that moment inspired you. The AI portion can generate a to-do list, including time slots, from natural language if you tell it what you need to do. The Nothing company said a meeting transcription function, including the ability to recognize individual speakers and generate to-do lists from transcripts, is coming soon to Essential Space.
