Nothing Phone 3a: Made Together
Nothing 3a Community Edition
Nothing has released its second fan-made phone, the Nothing Phone (3a) Community Edition, bringing a design inspired by early-2000s references that instantly reminds me of old gaming controllers from back in the day.
Only 1,000 units of this model are available to the public, and to secure one, users had to register via the Nothing website until December 11. In just four minutes, all online units were sold out. (Whoa!!!)
The Phone (3a) Community Edition is a mid-range device that brings together ideas collected through the Nothing Community Edition Project. This project is essentially a global competition where anyone can join and submit designs and concepts. The competition evaluates four main categories: hardware, software, accessories, and marketing campaign. The best ideas are then invited to take part in the development of the phone and become part of the team behind it.
Nothing and its design team, alongside the competition winners, decided to keep Nothing’s visual identity with the transparent casing, which, honestly, is still one of the most unique designs on the market today, and I love it! This time, though, they went with a frosted glass back that subtly changes colour depending on lighting and viewing angles. There are also design elements inspired by 2000s gadgets, a new lock screen with a retro digital clock, and a special accessory: a set of dice designed specifically for the Nothing Phone (3a) Community Edition. And yes… they’ve kept the iconic Glyph Lights. Phew!
In such a saturated mobile market, where most companies tend to play it safe, Nothing is definitely going above and beyond and honestly, I think this is very cool. I fully support companies that take risks and release something truly unique and different from what already exists. Most phones today take years to introduce meaningful design changes, and even then, colours usually stay the same with only minor variations. So when a company like Nothing puts something this distinctive out there, it’s hard not to notice - and I’m all for it. Especially with a device like the Phone (3a) Community Edition, which brings back strong 90s and early-2000s vibes. (Man… that was such a great time to be alive in the mobile and tech industry).
🏆 Honourable mentions to the competition winners:
Emre Kayganaci - Hardware
Louis & Ambrogio - Accessory
Jad Zock - Software
Sushruta Sarkar - Marketing Campaign
⚙️ Nothing 3a Community Edition Specs:
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display: | 6.77″ flexible AMOLED, FHD+ (1080 × 2392), 120 Hz adaptive refresh, HDR10+ |
| Processor: | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
| RAM: | 12 GB |
| Storage: | 256 GB |
| Rear Cameras: | 50 MP main (OIS) + 50 MP 2× telephoto + 8 MP ultra-wide |
| Front Camera: | 32 MP |
| Battery: | 5000 mAh, 50 W wired charging |
| Operating System: | Android 15 (Nothing OS 3.2) |
| Connectivity: | 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, USB-C |
| Extras: | In-display fingerprint sensor, stereo speakers, IP64 splash resistance |
| Dimensions & Weight: | 163.52 × 77.50 × 8.35 mm, 201 g |
| Edition: | Community Edition (limited release) |
| Units Produced: | Limited to 1,000 units globally |
| Availability (Pre‑Order): | Registration pre‑orders early–mid Dec 2025 |
| Price: |
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