To help us provide you with free impartial advice, we may earn a commission if you buy through links on our site. Learn more
Nothing opened its first ever MWC booth yesterday to reveal “something special” to the gathered gaggle of gagging journalists. Most (including me) were expecting an official first look at the upcoming Nothing (4a) Pro, as the standard (4a) has already been shown off online. But the actual reveal was… decidedly less interesting, and something of a lead balloon for the brand’s first foray into MWC.
After a bit of preamble outside a Nothing-branded shipping container with splashes of pink paint on it, the curtain was drawn back to reveal that… the Nothing (4a) will also be coming in a blue colourway.
Nothing Phone (4a): Ya blue it
Now, that part is not a problem – the blue is lovely and I’m a fan of the way in which Nothing carefully incorporates bold colours into its trademark style – it’s just that a blue Nothing phone is really not worth a press conference. For one thing, the full design of this phone was already shown off online, albeit only in the pink and white colours, but more pertinently, we’ve already seen a blue Nothing phone.
Last year’s Nothing Phone (3a) was the first of the brand’s lineup to launch with a non-monochromatic colourway. For us in the UK, at least; the Phone (2a) got a blue version in India. And while it was a different shade of blue than the new (4a), it still stole that thunder of being the first Nothing Phone to add a splash of colour.
To my eyes, the inclusion of a pink style is far more interesting, as it’s actual new ground for the brand. Moreover, perhaps it would have felt more momentous if Nothing had saved the design reveal for MWC, rather than unceremoniously dropping the details online a few days before (though in fairness, this may have been done to avoid leaks ruining the surprise).
Nothing Phone (4a): Rock the Glyph Bar
It was also a curious choice for the brand to not show off the functionality of the new Glyph Bar notification lights – a series of nine LEDs lined up next to the rear cameras, including the red recording light for the first time on an A-series Nothing phone.
This is the latest reinvention of the brand’s signature rear notification lights, following the unique but perhaps gimmicky Glyph Matrix on the Nothing Phone (3). With promised uses such as timer, charging monitor and even things like following your Uber’s progress, this new take on the Glyph looks to be a step up from the standard strip lighting, while not quite offering the full flexibility of the Phone (3)’s dot-matrix.
As much as I enjoyed the quirkiness of the Glyph Matrix, it didn’t feel particularly well integrated into the overall design, so it’s good to see the Glyph Bar feeling a lot more seamless. And porting over the red recording light from the flagships is a nice touch, too.
Nothing Phone (4a): Pro no-show
I understand why Nothing held back the Phone (4a) Pro – likely saving it for a grand unveiling at the launch event this Friday – but it does have me wondering if the Pro model is improved over last year’s effort. The Phone (3a) Pro had a lot going for it, including an excellent telephoto camera, but there weren’t enough additional features to justify it costing so much more than the standard (3a) and the chunky camera module did it no favours either.
To my mind, odds are slim on either issue being fully resolved with this generation. If the design of the (4a) is anything to go by, the (4a) Pro will likely be a refinement of what came before, rather than a dramatic overhaul. As for what specs each model will offer, and for what price, that remains to be seen for now. Though based on my early impressions, I believe that it’s likely I’ll favour the standard (4a) over its Pro sibling, just like last year.
I’ve already got my hands on a Nothing (4a) review sample, and I should be securing the Pro soon, so I’ll have final verdicts on both in the very near future. Be sure to check back in to see if a fresh coat of paint is enough to make the Phone (4a) more appealing than last year’s excellent Phone (3a) – or if the Pro will surprise as the better of the two this year.
