Nothing Phone (2a) Lands March 5, But Good Luck Getting One in the US

Nothing will reveal the Nothing Phone (2a) at an online event scheduled for March 5. The company previously teased the device, which will fall somewhere in between the Phone (1) and Phone (2) in terms of performance and overall capabilities.

"Phone (2a) has been engineered with a focus on providing the optimal daily smartphone experience, doubling down on core user needs, with all of Nothing’s expertise and craftsmanship," said the company in a video message posted earlier this month to its user community. "Phone (2a), codenamed Aerodactyl, leverages some of the most loved Phone (2) features while ensuring a clear upgrade compared to Phone (1) on every front."

Nothing debuted its first phone in 2022 and the follow-up arrived a year later. The company introduced the Glyph Interface on the rear panel that serves as notifications for a variety of apps and services, as well as a way for owners to personalize the experience. It recently released an SDK for developers, which will allow third-party apps to access the Glyph Interface. Until now, access to the Glyph lighting system has been reserved for Nothing's apps.

Nothing did not sell its first phone in the US but made the second one available to US buyers online. It appears Nothing is scaling back its distribution plans to a degree.

"In the US, Phone (2a) will be accessible to developers exclusively through Nothing’s US Developer Program," said the company. In other words, it won't be made available for sale.

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When asked why it didn't sell its first phone to US buyers, CEO Carl Pei said that it didn't have the engineering resources to devote to ensuring compatibility with US networks. While Nothing did not say why it doesn't plan to sell the Phone (2a) in the US, the focus on making a lower-cost device could be playing a role.

The launch event will be live streamed on Nothing's YouTube channel.