Nothing phone 3a design officially launched; but fans say aesthetics are 'underwhelming'

Consumer tech brand Nothing has finally revealed the design of its upcoming Phone (3a) series. However, as soon as the design dropped, the response from fans has been somewhat muted and mixed.

Nothing, the company founded by former OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, is known for its bold, transparent aesthetics, and its previous avatar, the 2a, was hailed by smartphone lovers as a unique addition to the design aesthetics in a cluttered market.

However, when it comes to the latest Nothing 3a, the brand’s latest design seems to have missed the mark with its loyal community, at least if the initial reviews are anything to go by.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Nothing India shared images of the phone’s signature transparent back with a black finish, captioned: “Phone (3a) Series. Where technical intricacy meets purity – the essence of Nothing.”

Despite the familiar branding language, the design reveal failed to impress a significant section of fans.

The main point of contention? The new triple-camera setup, which had been highly anticipated but left many feeling let down by its execution.

Disappointed fans took to X and Reddit to voice their frustration, calling the design “uninspired” and questioning the company’s creative choices.

“I thought the leaks were wrong—this could not be the camera design,” wrote one user on X. Another remarked, “I want to see Carl Pei defend the design of that camera bump. Looks hideous, in my opinion.”

Another user commented somewhat positively, but maintained an air of caution. Writing on X, the user wrote: “Nothing keeps pushing design boundaries, but will the specs hold up?”

The new camera module features a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP periscope lens, and an 8MP ultrawide sensor, alongside a 50MP front-facing camera. However, the layout has drawn comparisons to devices like the OnePlus 13, Vivo X200 Pro, and the soon-to-launch Xiaomi 15 Ultra, leading fans to question Nothing’s originality this time around.

Adding to the intrigue, the phone appears to have a new button positioned below the power button—speculated to function similarly to the Camera Control button rumoured for Apple’s iPhone 16 series.

Despite the backlash, there’s still room for redemption. Set for launch on March 4, the Nothing Phone (3a) series could still capture attention if it delivers on performance and pricing.

The device is expected to run on the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset and could be priced under ₹30,000. If the price tag creeps higher, however, users may hold out for the anticipated Nothing Phone (3) instead.

For reference, the previous models—Phone (2a) and Phone (2a) Plus—were launched at ₹19,999 and ₹27,999, respectively. Whether the Phone (3a) series will justify its price remains to be seen.