Nothing drops two new budget phones with 140x zoom

Nothing today pulled the wraps off its latest devices, the Phone (4a) and Phone (4a) Pro, and the main highlight here is a piece of hardware you’d typically need to spend flagship money for. We’re talking periscope zoom cameras on both models.

Nothing’s new phones stick to the unique design that made the brand popular. The transparent look remains, but the hardware has been updated. The Phone (4a) Pro now features a metal unibody that is just 7.95mm thick. It also offers better durability, with IP65 dust and water resistance and protection from short periods of submersion.

The regular Phone (4a) also keeps the transparent style, showing off the camera and the new Glyph Bar at the top, as well as the internal parts under the lower glass panel. The frame and camera bump are now stronger, and the phone has IP64 protection. You can choose from blue, pink, or the usual neutral colors.

Cameras take a big step forward

This year, Nothing is focusing heavily on photography. The Phone (4a) Pro comes with a Sony LYT700C main camera, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom and up to 140x zoom — the longest zoom ever on a Nothing phone, according to the company. It also includes a Sony ultra-wide sensor and a 32MP front camera.

The standard Phone (4a) also offers an impressive camera setup for its price. It has a 50MP main camera with OIS, a 50MP 3.5x periscope telephoto lens, a Sony ultra-wide sensor, and a 32MP selfie camera.

Both phones use TrueLens Engine 4 for advanced photography features, such as Ultra XDR photos and video that improve highlights and shadows for more natural contrast. They also include AI tools like Photo Eraser to remove unwanted objects from your pictures.

The Glyph interface, a signature feature for Nothing, is getting a big update. The Phone (4a) now has a Glyph Bar with 63 mini-LEDs in seven light zones, reaching up to 3500 nits of brightness. These lights can show notifications, timers, charging status, and can even be used as a fill light for photos or videos.

The Phone (4a) Pro takes it further with a Glyph Matrix of 137 mini-LEDs, covering more space and making notifications even brighter. The lights can show widgets such as a battery indicator, timer, digital clock, and fun features like Glyph Mirror.

Inside, the two phones have different Snapdragon chips. The Phone (4a) Pro uses the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, which offers up to 27% faster CPU performance and 30% better graphics than previous models. It also comes with LPDDR5X memory and UFS 3.1 storage for quicker app launches and smoother multitasking.

The regular Phone (4a) is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, which gives about a 7% boost in CPU and graphics performance and improves power efficiency by 10%.

The displays have also improved. The Pro model has a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED screen with a 144Hz refresh rate and up to 5000 nits of peak brightness. The Phone (4a) features a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 4500 nits HDR brightness. Both screens are protected by Gorilla Glass 7i.

Software, battery, and availability

Both phones run Nothing OS 4.1 based on Android 16, bringing redesigned icons, floating apps, improved widgets, and a new AI Dashboard that gives users control over AI features. Nothing promises three years of Android updates and six years of security patches.

Battery life stands out as well. Both phones have a 5080mAh battery and support 50W fast charging, reaching about 60% charge in just 30 minutes.

For pricing, the Phone (4a) starts at £349, €349, or ₹31,999. The Phone (4a) Pro starts at $499, £499, €479, or ₹39,999. Preorders for the Phone (4a) start on March 5, and open sales begin on March 13. The Phone (4a) Pro will be available for preorder on March 13, with sales starting on March 27 in most markets.