Nothing CEO Carl Pei has revealed some details about the upcoming Nothing Phone 2a. While other leaks have surfaced in recent days, OnePlus co-founder Akis Evangelidis himself has said that information was fake. Even so, some of what’s now been revealed does appear to match certain photos from earlier leaks.
Nothing has completely changed the hardware layout and design beneath the phone’s rear glass shell. The camera island has been moved to the center and is now framed by a circular ring element. It resembles a wireless charging pad in shape, but the exact details aren’t yet known.
Speaking about the Nothing Phone 2a, Nothing CEO Carl Pei said, “The Nothing Phone 2a is aimed at users who want solid performance matched with the core functions that matter most, at a more accessible spec level. Nothing’s signature design remains just as much of a standout as ever, inside and out.” While not everything about the Nothing Phone 2a is known yet, it’s exciting to see how the phone will come together with balanced performance and a fresh design.
Image: The Nothing Phone 2a internal layout showing the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chip
According to photos released by Nothing, the Nothing Phone 2a is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro processor — making it the first Nothing phone to use a MediaTek chip. The Nothing Phone 1 used a Snapdragon chip, but the 2a instead partners with MediaTek.
In terms of performance, the 2a could be described as a complete upgrade over the Nothing Phone 1. Compared side by side, the 2a is reportedly up to 18 times more powerful than the Phone 1, and up to 16 times more efficient in battery consumption.
Nothing has also said that the Phone 2a isn’t aimed at people chasing the latest specs, but rather at those more interested in performance and in Nothing’s distinctive design.
On the design side, the Nothing Phone 2a’s internals will be fully visible, featuring the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro processor, 12GB of RAM, and a RAM Booster feature. For the RAM booster, users will reportedly be able to choose from 2GB, 4GB, or up to 8GB according to their preference.
Image: OnLeaks/Smartprix
Some rumors suggest it’s still unclear whether Glyph Light will be included on the 2a, but Nothing designer Chris Weightman has said Glyph features matter so much that the team is reconsidering the whole design to figure out how best to use Glyph. Because of that, the Glyph Light design on the 2a is expected to differ somewhat from the Phone 1. Based on the reports so far, both the new MediaTek chip and the possible new Glyph Light design are reasons to look forward to the Nothing Phone 2a, and it’s exciting to think about what else might be included.