It uses a more minimalistic take on the lineup’s distinct design language.
The Nothing Phone universe continues to expand. On Wednesday, the company launched the fourth model in the Phone 3 lineup: the Nothing Phone 3a Lite. (It joins the Phone 3, Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro.) The cheapest model in the series, the Phone 3a Lite pairs the brand’s distinct styling with solid all-around specs for an entry-level handset. However, with the company saying its non-flagship devices will soon include pre-installed apps and lock-screen ads, there may be a trade-off.
The Nothing Phone 3a Lite uses a Panda Glass casing over an aluminum internal frame. As you can see, it retains some familiar design strokes, albeit pared down to match its €249 price. As the company describes it, the handset’s «asymmetric, transparent look and nano-coating creates a beautiful balance of matte and gloss.» (Poetry!) The phone ships in white and black variants. Whether Nothing’s design language is your cup of tea or not, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more striking and bold design language in a budget model.
The handset includes the Essential Key, a multi-purpose physical button found on all Phone 3 series models. The phone is IP54-rated for dust and water resistance.
Nothing honors the brand’s unique Glyph system (while keeping costs down) by using a notification LED. (Remember those on early Android phones?) This model’s «Glyph Light» supports the lineup’s Flip to Glyph feature, which switches to light-only alerts when the device is face down. The LED can stay on for «key contact and app notifications» and serve as a camera countdown timer.
