Nothing Phone 4a and 4a Pro arrive with periscope cameras and refreshed Glyph lighting

Source: Android Authority

TL;DR

• Nothing unveils the Phone (4a) and Phone (4a) Pro, bringing periscope zoom cameras to both models, a feature usually reserved for flagship phones.
• Both models get a 50 MP periscope telephoto lens, with the Pro offering an industry‑leading 140× zoom alongside a Sony LYT700C main sensor.
• Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 (Pro) and Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 (standard) power the devices, each equipped with a massive 5 080 mAh battery and 50 W fast charging.

Nothing today pulled the wraps off its latest devices, the Phone (4a) and Phone (4a) Pro, and the main highlight here is a piece of hardware you’d typically need to spend flagship money for: periscope zoom cameras on both models.

The new phones retain the brand’s signature transparent design. The Phone (4a) Pro now features a metal unibody that is just 7.95 mm thick, with IP65 dust‑ and water‑resistance and protection from short periods of submersion. The regular Phone (4a) keeps the transparent style, showcasing the camera module and the new Glyph Bar at the top, as well as internal components under the lower glass panel. Its frame and camera bump are reinforced, and it offers IP64 protection. Color options include blue, pink, and the usual neutral tones.

Cameras take a big step forward

This year, Nothing is focusing heavily on photography.

• Phone (4a) Pro: Sony LYT700C main camera, 50 MP periscope telephoto lens with 3.5× optical zoom and up to 140× digital zoom (the longest zoom on a Nothing phone), a Sony ultra‑wide sensor, and a 32 MP front camera.
• Phone (4a): 50 MP main camera with OIS, a 50 MP 3.5× periscope telephoto lens, a Sony ultra‑wide sensor, and a 32 MP selfie camera.

Both phones use TrueLens Engine 4 for advanced photography features such as Ultra XDR photos and video, which improve highlights and shadows for more natural contrast. AI tools like Photo Eraser let users remove unwanted objects from images.

Glyph lighting

• Phone (4a): New Glyph Bar with 63 mini‑LEDs in seven zones, reaching up to 3 500 nits. It can display notifications, timers, charging status, and serve as a fill light for photos or videos.
• Phone (4a) Pro: Expanded Glyph Matrix with 137 mini‑LEDs, covering more area for brighter notifications and additional widgets such as a battery indicator, timer, digital clock, and the fun Glyph Mirror feature.

Chipsets

• Phone (4a) Pro: Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, delivering up to 27 % faster CPU performance and 30 % better graphics than previous models, paired with LPDDR5X memory and UFS 3.1 storage.
• Phone (4a): Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, offering roughly a 7 % boost in CPU and GPU performance and a 10 % improvement in power efficiency.

Displays

• Phone (4a) Pro: 6.83‑inch 1.5K AMOLED panel, 144 Hz refresh rate, up to 5 000 nits peak brightness, protected by Gorilla Glass 7i.
• Phone (4a): 6.78‑inch AMOLED display, 120 Hz refresh rate, up to 4 500 nits HDR brightness, also protected by Gorilla Glass 7i.

Software, battery, and availability

Both devices run Nothing OS 4.1 based on Android 16, featuring redesigned icons, floating apps, improved widgets, and a new AI Dashboard for controlling AI features. Nothing promises three years of Android updates and six years of security patches.

• Battery: 5 080 mAh capacity with 50 W fast charging (≈60 % charge in 30 minutes).
• Pricing:
  • Phone (4a): £349 / €349 / ₹31 999
  • Phone (4a) Pro: $499 / £499 / €479 / ₹39 999
• Availability:
  • Phone (4a) preorder starts Mar 5, sales begin Mar 13.
  • Phone (4a) Pro preorder opens Mar 13, sales start Mar 27 in most markets.