Nothing’s budget Phone (3a) Lite is officially dropping tomorrow

Nothing has officially confirmed the Phone (3a) Lite will launch on October 29, at 6.30 PM. The company is explicitly labelling this its “first entry-level smartphone”. It basically completes a roster that already includes the Phone (3), (3a), and (3a) Pro. It looks set to be positioned right between the standard (3a) and the even more affordable CMF sub-brand phones.

The brand’s signature see-through aesthetic is making a comeback, which is no surprise. But the lightning seems to have changed… for a much simpler setup.

Nothing’s first true entry-level phone

We are talking maybe just a single flashing LED on the bottom right or a few individual blinking bulbs. It’s a curious twist given the flagship Phone (3) ditched the strips entirely for a “Glyph Matrix” dot-display. The (3a) Lite seems to be bringing back the lights but on a strict budget.

To keep costs down, it will also likely feature a transparent plastic back instead of the glass used on its pricier siblings.

The rumour mill has already painted a pretty clear picture of the internals. A device with the model number A001T hit Geekbench recently. That benchmark pointed straight at a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 series chip, 8GB of RAM, and Android 15.

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Other whispers suggest a 5,000mAh battery powered by 33W wired charging. The display is tipped to be a 6.7-inch AMOLED running at 120Hz. For cameras, expect a dual-sensor setup on the back, likely a 50MP main and an ultrawide. The more expensive telephoto lens found on other models almost certainly got the chop.

The main attraction here is obviously the price tag. Leaks pin the 8GB/128GB base model at just €239.99 (about Rs 24,700) in Europe. That is a massive undercut from the €329 (about Rs 33,900) price of the standard Phone (3a). Available in classic black and white colours, the phone is expected to hit European shelves starting November 4. There is no concrete date for an India launch just yet.