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Nothing Phone (3a) Pro Unboxing: A Fresh Design & Powerful Camera Upgrade
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro has finally arrived, and we got our hands on a review unit sent by Nothing. In this article, we will share our first impressions after using the phone for a few days.
Unboxing Experience
Nothing has always made its packaging unique, and this time is no different. The box opens from the back, revealing a sleek new design. Inside the box, you get the phone, a Type-C charging cable, a SIM ejector tool, and documentation. However, unlike previous models, the cable is no longer transparent.
New Design & Build Quality
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro has a new camera bump with a triple-camera setup, including a periscope camera. The back of the phone is now glass, giving it a premium feel, unlike the previous plastic design.
Nothing has also changed the Glyph Lights, making them circular instead of vertical. The phone still features three Glyph Light sections, including a progress bar.
The device feels grippy and comfortable to hold, and at 211 grams, it has a solid build. The phone also comes with an IP64 rating, making it resistant to water splashes.
Display & Features
The phone features a 6.77-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2392 pixels). It supports HDR with a peak brightness of 3000 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even outdoors, with 1300 nits HBM and 800 nits typical brightness. Instead of Gorilla Glass, Nothing has used Panda Glass, which offers similar durability, but I’m not sure about it.
A new Essential Space feature has been introduced, activated via a special button below the power key. This allows quick access to screenshots, notes, and reminders, powered by AI.
Performance & Software
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, the same as in the standard (3a) model. It comes with Nothing OS 3.1 based on Android 14, with a promise of three years of major updates and six years of security updates.
In benchmark tests:
- Geekbench scores: Single-core – 1163, Multi-core – 3256
- AnTuTu score: Around 715,399
The UFS 2.2 storage could be a downside, as UFS 3.1 would have been a better choice for long-term performance.
Battery & Charging
The phone has a 5000mAh battery with 50W fast charging. A full charge takes about 56 minutes with a compatible charger. However, wireless charging is not available, which might disappoint some users.
Gaming Performance
The phone currently supports 90 FPS in BGMI, and an upcoming update might enable 120 FPS. Gaming tests showed no major frame drops, and thermals were well managed, keeping the phone cool.
Camera System
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro features a triple-camera setup:
- 50MP Primary Camera
- 8MP Ultra-Wide Camera
- 50MP Periscope Camera (3x Optical Zoom, OIS)
The periscope camera delivers clear and detailed zoom shots, especially at 3x and 6x zoom. It supports up to 60x digital zoom, though the quality degrades beyond 10x.
The camera app now includes custom presets for different photography styles, allowing users to adjust focus, exposure, and filters.
Pricing & Conclusion
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro is priced at:
- Rs 32,000 for 8GB RAM + 256GB storage
- Rs 33,000 for 12GB RAM + 256GB storage (with bank offers available)
Pros:
- Unique design & glass back
- Periscope camera with 3x optical zoom
- Bright AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Essential Space AI feature
Cons:
No wireless charging
UFS 2.1 storage instead of UFS 3.1 Some color inconsistency in ultra-wide and main cameras (can be fixed via updates)
Overall, the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro offers a fresh design, great cameras, and smooth performance, making it a solid mid-range option for users who want a unique smartphone experience.
Nothing has released a new update for the Nothing Phone (2). This update brings Nothing OS 3.0, but many users were expecting version 3.1 or 3.2. Still, the update brings some new features and improvements to the phone.
Update Details
- Update Size: 737 MB
- Build Number: Pong-V3.0-250506-1805-IND
- Android Security Patch: May 1, 2025
New Features and Improvements
1. Private Space
Nothing Phone (2) now gets the ‘Private Space’ feature. This allows users to hide apps, photos, files, and even use a private camera.
It uses a separate password and fingerprint from the phone’s main unlock method, giving extra privacy.
Apps added to Private Space won’t appear in the normal app drawer.
2. App Locker with Separate Password
You can now set a different password for locking apps. This is separate from the phone’s main lock screen password, giving better privacy for apps like Calculator, Facebook, etc.
3. Nothing Gallery (Still Basic)
Nothing mentioned improvements to the Nothing Gallery app, but users did not find any major changes. The gallery still lacks editing features, and Google Photos remains the default unless disabled.
4. Touch Feedback Settings for Face Unlock
Now users can disable the vibration feedback when using face unlock. This option is available inside the settings.
5. Smoother Animations
With the update, the app opening and closing animations have become much smoother. The launcher has been updated to version 3.2.2, making the phone feel faster and more fluid when switching apps.
6. Network and Wi-Fi Stability
Nothing has improved the stability of cellular networks and Wi-Fi connections. However, the ‘Hotspot Manager’ feature, which allows setting limits for connected devices, is still missing in Phone (2). It is only available in the Nothing Phone (2a).
7. Status Bar and Notification Center Improvements
Nothing has optimized the status bar icons and notification center for better performance and fewer bugs.
8. New Wallpapers
The update also brings new wallpapers from the Nothing Phone (3a) series.
No Major Camera Improvements
Although the Nothing camera app has been updated from version 15.1.00.03.17 to 15.1.00.03.19, users did not notice any big changes in photography or video quality. Nothing has not yet provided camera tuning or processing updates for Phone (2). These improvements may come later, possibly with the launch of the Nothing Phone (3).
Should you update?
The Nothing Phone (2) May update brings useful privacy features and smoother animations, but misses out on some features like Hotspot Manager and camera improvements. Still, it’s recommended to update your phone to enjoy the new privacy options and a better user experience.
Nothing has rolled out a new update for its popular Nothing Phone (2a). The update brings Nothing OS 3.0 with several new features and improvements. However, many users were expecting Nothing OS 3.1 or 3.2, but the company has still kept it at 3.0.
New Features:
- Private Space:
Nothing has finally added the much-awaited ‘Private Space’ feature. Users can now hide apps, files, photos, and even use a private camera inside this space. The best part is it uses a separate password and fingerprint from your regular phone lock, giving extra privacy. - Separate Password for App Locker:
Users can now set a different password for app locking, separate from their main lock screen password. This makes securing apps like Facebook and Instagram even safer. - Hotspot Manager:
Users can now limit the number of devices that can connect to their phone’s hotspot. It also shows which device is connected and allows you to block unwanted devices. - Updated Security Patch:
The phone now has the latest Android security patch for May 2025, keeping your device safe from new threats.
Small Improvements:
- Wi-Fi and System Stability:
Users reported no major issues with Wi-Fi or hotspot connections after the update. Overall, the phone runs smoothly without noticeable bugs. - Status Bar and Notification Center:
The company improved accessibility and stability in the notification center and status bar, although these changes are small and may not be easily noticed. - Cellular Network Stability:
The update also tries to fix common issues like 5G to 4G switching and call drops. The experience has improved for some users.
Changes in Apps and UI:
- Nothing Launcher Updated:
The launcher is now updated to version 3.2.2 (for some 3.2.3), with slightly smoother animations when opening apps. - Camera App Version Changed:
The camera app has been updated to version 14.0.03.26.08 While no major camera features were added, the app opens a bit faster. Users are still waiting for camera tuning improvements, which may come in future updates, possibly around the launch of the Nothing Phone (3) expected in July. - Nothing Gallery:
Although Nothing mentioned their own gallery app, users still see Google Photos as default. No clear changes were noticed in the gallery app yet. - Touch Feedback for Face Unlock:
Users can now disable the vibration that happens when using face unlock from the settings.
The May update for Nothing Phone (2a) brings useful privacy and stability improvements, but no major camera or design changes yet. The update size is around 1.04 GB and may take around 25-30 minutes to install depending on your internet speed. Users are still hoping for bigger updates like Nothing OS 3.1 with camera improvements soon.
The OnePlus 11 5G is getting the OxygenOS 15 April 2025 update. The update comes with the software version CPH2447_15.0.0.800(EX01) and has a download size of 937.15 MB. It brings several new features, improvements, and bug fixes to enhance the overall user experience.
What’s New in this update?
One of the major additions in this update is partial screen recording. Users can now choose a specific area of the screen to record, rather than recording the entire screen. This is useful for making focused tutorials or short clips without showing everything on the display.
The update also adds support for file sharing between the OnePlus 11 and Mac devices. You can now view your phone files directly on your Mac and easily transfer files between the two devices. This improves interconnection and makes file management more convenient for users who use both platforms.
Another new feature is the stack view layout for the Recent Tasks screen. This can give a cleaner and more organized look when switching between apps. If you prefer the old style, you can disable this feature by going to Settings > Home screen & Lock screen > Recent tasks manager.
In addition, the update improves gesture recognition for floating windows, making them easier to close. It also enhances the visual appearance by adding better shadow effects around these floating windows, giving a smoother and more polished look.
Lastly, the update includes the April 2025 Android security patch, which helps improve system security and keep your device protected.
If you own a OnePlus 11, it’s recommended to check for the new update by going to Settings > System > System Updates and install it for the latest improvements.