NOTHING COMPARES - Nothing Phone (2a)

Nothing's mid-range handset, the Phone (2a), is here to bring Android fans a dose of affordable cheer

We knew exactly what we were going to get from the Nothing Phone (2a): an affordable, quirky designed mid-range Android handset. What we didn't get to know in advance, of course, was just how successful Nothing's attempt at winning the mid-range section of the Android market would be.

One of Nothing's calling card features is the inclusion of Glyphs, a series of rear-positioned lights that can alert you in various ways - in a flashing sequence, for example - and while these do appear on Phone (2a), the arrangement is pared down. That means a trio of Glyph lights, all positioned towards the top of the device, and no charging Glyph to the lower portion of the phone.

But the real jump-out feature of the Phone (2a)'s visual aesthetic regards its rear panel. Or, more to the point, what lies beneath it. That's because this transparent plastic acts as a window inside, adding design flourishes to the functional sections within.