In summary:
- Nothing officially revealed the Phone (4a) design featuring a new pink colorway and refined semi-transparent look ahead of its March 5 launch.
- Tech Advisor reports the mid-range device introduces a completely revamped Glyph Bar with six square modules containing nine mini-LEDs each, offering 40% brighter lighting.
- The updated Glyph system includes a dedicated red recording light and promises a more natural, bleed-free lighting experience than previous models.
Nothing has issued an official reveal of the Nothing Phone (4a) design, and it demonstrates a major course change for the brand’s defining innovation.
The Nothing Phone (4a) won’t be officially unveiled until 5 March, but the London-based brand has just posted a clear image of the rear of the phone.
In an X post confirming the launch date and time (10:30 GMT), Nothing promises a mid-range smartphone that will be “Built different”.
It also shows off the design of the phone, which looks to be a refinement of last year’s Nothing Phone (3a). There’s that signature semi-transparent look that we’ve all come to expect from the brand.
Interestingly, while the camera module retains its central, pill-shaped configuration, the Glyph lighting system has been completely revamped.
Nothing has since shown off one of the anticipated new colours, so you can see the (4a) is the all-new pink hue below.
The firm says it is “not just another colourway,” but “a nod to tech that’s expressive and optimistic, rather than neutral. It’s a recognition of the role that art, music, fashion and pop culture play in inspiring our design language.”
Nothing
What is the Glyph Bar?
Nothing discussed its work on this new Glyph Bar concept in a recent blog post.
Rather than being dispersed around the camera module in three distinct LEDs of various sizes (like the 3a), we have a vertical bar of six square lighting modules positioned to the right of the camera.
Each of these lights is made up of nine individually controllable mini-LEDs. While these are said to be 40% brighter than the Nothing Phone (3a)’s lights, Nothing reckons that the effect is less distracting, with a look that’s “natural, neutral and bleed-free.”
The anchoring red square, which we’ve seen as an accent in previous phones, now illuminates as a dedicated recording light.
The teaser also continues the approach Nothing has taken with its pre-launch materials in hinting at the colour options that will be available for the Phone (4a). Now we’ve seen the pink model but blue is still yet to be seen.
Below you can see a video from Nothing talking about the design process for the (4a) and also see the new Glyph Bar in action.
Author: Jon Mundy, Contributor, Tech Advisor
Jon is a freelance journalist who got his start covering mobile games at the dawn of the App Store. He has since covered everything from smart home tech and laptops to food and culture, but always seems to return to his fascination with smartphones.