Nothing might want to pull out its reverse Uno card right about now.
Leave it to Nothing to aggravate fans—its own and very vocal tech enthusiasts—yet again. As is tradition now, the tech startup, known for its transparent wireless earbuds and light-up smartphones, has announced a “Phone 3a Lite” that will be announced on Oct. 29 at 9 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. GMT.
Phone (3a) Lite. 29.10. 13.00 GMT.
Light up the everyday. pic.twitter.com/VVNclQ6mEl
Nothing (@nothing) October 27, 2025
Nothing posted a three-second teaser to its X account showing off the lower portion of the Phone 3a Lite. Given the name, we’d bet lunch that the phone is a budget-focused device, derivative of the Phone 3a and 3a Pro that launched last year. No tech specs have been shared so far, but we can see there’s some kind of blinking LED in the lower right, which could be a basic “Glyph.” The Phone 3a launched at around $380, and the Phone 3a Pro at around $460. A “Lite” version could retail at less than the Phone 3a.
But it’s not the phone that’s got fans angry with their pitchforks out, banging on Nothing cofounder and CEO Carl Pei’s door. The company is seemingly pulling a switcheroo on its users by allowing preinstalled ads and apps, or what we generally refer to as “bloatware,” on its phones.
