Nothing trolls Apple with cheeky invite, confirms Phone (4a) launch date

By Marcia Sekhose

Published On: 17 February 2026 | 11:45 IST

Just hours after Apple announced its March 4th event, Nothing’s CEO jumped onto X with a response that was anything but subtle. In a very punk-rock style, the company revealed its March 5th launch date by spray-painting “Nothing 5 March” over Apple’s event invite. The timing isn’t entirely unexpected. Nothing has already been teasing the upcoming Phone (4a) series, which is widely expected to include two smartphone variants. There’s also speculation that headphones could make an appearance alongside the phones.

The Phone (4a) series will be unveiled at Nothing Event: Built Different on March 5th at 10:30 GMT, which would be 4:30 pm IST for viewers in India. The event will be livestreamed from Central Saint Martins, London, via nothing.tech.

Nothing’s new smartphone lineup could include Phone (4a) and Phone (4a) Pro. This is the lineup to look forward to this year, as Nothing has confirmed no flagship for 2026. The Phone (4a) is still promised to offer a flagship-like experience, suggesting major upgrades for the lineup. One upgrade that’s confirmed is UFS 3.1 storage for the Phone (4a) lineup. Both phones are also tipped to launch in two configurations: 8GB RAM with 128GB storage and 12GB RAM with 256GB storage.

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— Carl Pei (@getpeid) February 17, 2026

Colour options tipped for the Phone (4a) are Black and White, and Black and Silver for the Pro variant. But there have been rumours of a more colourful lineup for the Phone (4a) series, with even a possible pink shade. Nothing had also put out a teaser with different colours for the (4a) series — black, white, yellow, blue, and pink. If the brighter colours don’t arrive in the phones, then they could be for the Headphone (a), Nothing’s rumoured low-cost headphones.

The Nothing Phone (4a) series might also get a new design, a marginal battery bump, a Snapdragon chipset, and most importantly, a higher price. Nothing hasn’t been one to lean into heavily-specced phones but instead focus on a more holistic experience with its products.

Like all new phones in the market, the Nothing Phone (4a) series might also see a price hike. The Phone (4a) with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage is tipped to cost around $475, which is higher than the Phone (3a)’s $379 launch price for the same variant. The Phone (4a) Pro is also tipped to launch at $540, up from $459 of the Phone (3a) Pro.

If early pricing indications hold, the Phone (4a) series could edge past the Rs 30,000 mark in India, a notable jump for the lineup. For context, the Phone (3a) debuted at Rs 24,999, while the Pro variant launched at Rs 29,999. A move beyond Rs 30,000 would push the new generation into a more competitive upper mid-range bracket, where buyers tend to weigh specs, software experience, and long-term value more carefully.

That said, if the rumoured upgrades deliver meaningful improvements, the higher pricing could be justified. On paper, a spec bump is one thing. The bigger question is how those upgrades translate in day-to-day use. As always, real-world testing will determine whether the Phone (4a) series truly earns that potential price hike. Given the potential price hike, budget-conscious buyers might consider existing options in the segment or wait for better deals.