Upcoming Nothing Phone (4a) Series to Feature Enhanced Storage Options and Potential Price Increases

Nothing CEO Carl Pei announced today that several upcoming products, set to launch before March's end, will feature UFS 3.1 storage. This likely pertains to the Phone (4a) series, though it remains unclear which specific models will utilize UFS 3.1 and which will not.

Last year, the Nothing Phone (3a) and Nothing Phone (3a) Pro debuted in early March, leading us to believe that their successors are what Pei is referencing. The previous models utilized UFS 2.2 storage, a choice that Nothing explained as a strategic allocation of resources rather than a mere cost-cutting measure.

In a somewhat humorous turn, the company previously stated that "UFS 3.1 sounds great on paper, but in everyday use, its benefits are often marginal compared to software optimizations, battery life, and display quality." One has to wonder if the benefits are still considered marginal a year later, and why Nothing hasn't openly acknowledged their earlier decision as a cost-saving tactic.

Moving forward, Carl Pei mentioned that brands face "a simple choice" amid significant increases in RAM pricing driven by investments in AI data centers: "raise prices, by 30% or more in some cases, or downgrade specifications." He further argued that the model of offering "more specs for less money"—a foundation for many value brands—is no longer viable in 2026.

This suggests that the Nothing Phone (4a) devices may feature either downgraded specifications compared to their predecessors or increased prices of up to 30%. Pei views this as a beneficial shift for his company, acknowledging that they learned early on that competing solely on specifications would not ensure success. Instead, Nothing has chosen to emphasize perfecting the user experience, asserting that the aesthetics and functionality of a phone are more critical than the technical specifications. However, the sales figures indicate that Nothing may still have challenges matching up to its competitors.

Nothing Phone (3a)

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Nothing Phone (3a) Pro

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256GB 12GB RAM	$ 472.70	€ 328.06
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