Nothing has officially pulled a fast one on us. If you were holding out for a “Nothing Phone (4)” flagship this year, I’ve got some news: it isn’t happening. In a bold move, Carl Pei’s team is skipping the flagship race in 2026 to pour all their energy into the mid-range.
Enter the Nothing Phone (4a) series. According to the latest leaks from Yogesh Brar, we are looking at a global debut around March 5th. I noticed something even more interesting, though—Nothing is teasing a major “design evolution” with five bold new colors (Blue, Yellow, Pink, White, and Black) to move past their strictly monochrome roots.
The Lineup: Pro vs. Standard
Nothing is doubling down on choice this year by launching two models simultaneously.
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The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro: This is the one to watch. It’s tipped to feature the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 or 7s Gen 4, potentially bridging the gap between mid-range and flagship power.
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The Nothing Phone (4a): Likely powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, focusing on that “sweet spot” of performance and price.
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The Big Upgrade: Both phones are moving to UFS 3.1 storage. This is huge for you because it means apps will open faster and the whole UI will feel significantly snappier compared to the old UFS 2.2 tech.
Display & Durability: A Bright Future
Nothing isn’t just changing the colors; they’re refining the glass you stare at all day.
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The Screen: We’re expecting a 6.82-inch AMOLED panel. The Pro might even jump to a 144Hz refresh rate with a peak brightness hitting a massive 3,000 to 4,000 nits.
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The Build: For the clumsy among us (myself included), the Pro is rumored to get an IP65 rating. It’s not quite a submarine, but it’ll handle a rainstorm much better than the previous IP54 models.
Camera & Battery: Subtle Tweaks
While the battery isn’t getting a massive overhaul, the longevity is getting a “health” boost.
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The Juice: The Pro variant has popped up in databases with a 5,080mAh battery.
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The Longevity: Interestingly, the battery is reportedly rated for 1,400 charge cycles. This means your phone should stay “healthy” and hold a full charge for much longer than the average device.
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The Cameras: Expect a triple 50MP setup on the Pro, including a 3x periscope telephoto lens—a major first for Nothing’s “a” series.
Quick Look: Successor vs. Original
| Feature | Phone (3a) Pro | Phone (4a) Pro (Leaked) |
| Storage Tech | UFS 2.2 | UFS 3.1 (Faster) |
| Durability | IP54 | IP65 (Better) |
| Display Brightness | ~1,300 nits | Up to 4,000 nits |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 5,080 mAh |
The Takeaway
By skipping a flagship, Nothing is trying to prove they can win the “Value King” title. However, all these upgrades—especially the Snapdragon chips and better storage—mean a price hike is almost certain. Expect the Phone (4a) to start around ₹32,000, while the Pro could nudge closer to ₹45,000.
