Nothing just rolled out the Phone (4a) in India, stepping up its game from the Phone (3a) with some pretty solid improvements—all packed into a slightly higher price tag. The base model now starts at Rs 31,999, and you are totally paying for the extra bells and whistles. There is a revamped Glyph Bar, Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chip, and a periscope telephoto camera that is honestly a rare find at this price tag.
Look and design
Nothing has ditched what makes its phones stand out – the Glyph interface. The new Phone (4a) keeps that signature transparent back panel, but now it is a little sleeker. The old Glyph lights are out, and the new ones enter the better-looking, more functional Glyph Bar, giving notifications a fresh twist. Holding the 4a feels premium—the glass back and sturdy plastic frame add a bit of heft (204.5 grams), but that weight gives it presence without feeling unwieldy. With an IP68 rating, you won’t freak out if it drops in water or gets covered in dust. And there’s actually some fun with colours this time: classic black and white, a solid blue and this bold pink that is hard to miss.
Performance, RAM and storage
The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 holds its own in daily use. Apps open fast, multitasking is smooth, and for folks who play games occasionally, it handles moderate titles just fine—no random stutters or lags. You get plenty of memory (up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage), so the phone does not suffocate even if you have dozens of apps running in the background or a tonne of pictures and files.
Software can make or break the experience, but Nothing OS 4.1 (based on Android 16 this round) feels snappy, minimal, and refreshingly free of junk apps.
Camera performance
- This is the major selling point here. There is a trio on the back: a 50MP main shooter, an 8MP ultra-wide, and that 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom.
- Portraits from the telephoto lens come out crisp, the colours look real, and backgrounds actually blur out nicely—no weird, over-processed cutouts.
- In regular photos, the main camera gives realistic colours but sometimes struggles to catch the finest details or the punchy range between shadows and bright spots.
- The ultra-wide is decent but not excellent; you will get by for landscapes or group shots. On the front, it features a 32MP shooter, which is capable of taking better selfies with good skin tones and texture, along with sharpness.
Battery and connectivity
The Nothing Phone 4a is backed by a 5,400 mAh battery, which can run smoothly for a day with moderate usage. Most smartphone users prefer to cruise around with around 5-6 hours of screen-on time on a single charge. This is decent to binge-watch: calling, video calling, photography and gaming.
It further supports fast charging – it keeps you moving without worrying about the battery – but there is no charger in the box, so you will have to use one you already have or grab a new one.
For connectivity, the handset supports 5G, Wi-Fi and all the usual wireless connections, but it is a must to mention that it does not have NFC, which could annoy some who use it frequently.
Best highlight of Phone 4a
With the transparent design – this phone is an eye-catching device – and it is still a one-of-a-kind device in the market at present. The new Glyph Bar is cooler than the previous ones and certainly makes the personality of the entire phone look very visible.
For those who are into mobile photography, having a periscope telephoto camera in the new Nothing Phone is impressive—this is something most of its competitors have been skipping. And you are not stuck with annoying pre-installed apps or buggy software.
Price, availability, and competition in India (2026)
The new Nothing Phone (4a) is available at Rs 31,999, and those who want to buy it can choose any mode – online as well as physical stores. Although the competition is stiff, Nothing does have its own fan base who loves the dancing light at the back with a different interface.
For competitors, the handset is going to have some competition with smartphones like the Motorola Edge 70, OnePlus Nord 5, iQOO Neo 9 Lite and Realme 14 Pro+ 5G, which recently got launched and have almost similar specs.
Overall performance
The new Nothing Phone (4a) is not just a powerful smartphone but a gadget which comes with almost all the features which a youth desires. It certainly stands out with its design, which keeps the handset running smoothly with a strong processor and a reliable camera. The handset is a phone which is used every day.
Overall, if you need a handset that is practical but is not just another generic slab of glass, this could be a good pick.