Polls last week showed a mixture of excitement and skepticism about Nothing’s first mid-range product – half of voters were interested in the Nothing Phone (2a), but the split was mixed. Half the people like what they see and are ready to hit the “buy” button, the other half need proof that the phone is as good as it looks.
The phone performed strongly upon launch, selling 60,000 units within 60 minutes of launch, a number that had grown to 100,000 units by the end of the first day. But no one knows how to make a splash, and the real question is whether the selling frenzy will continue, or perhaps taper off.
Those who don’t like it will criticize it for its basic IP54 dust and water resistance and plastic construction. These cameras aren’t perfect, either, but telephoto lenses are hard to find in this price range (even 50MP ultra-wide-angle lenses are rare).
The design is an acquired taste, but it’s quite unique—even among Nothing phones. When it comes to software, there’s nothing like bloat with a focus on adding more style and taking software updates very seriously.
Wuwu Phone (2a) had a busy week
The first update has been released with support for Ultra XDR in the camera and improvements to HDR image capture. It tweaks app performance, animations, and touchscreen experience. It also adds a few new widgets – controversially, including a call recorder (which may be illegal in some places).
Nothing identifies its first mid-range offering, and there isn’t much overlap between what people are looking at phone (2a) and phones (1) or (2). But there are some serious competitors in the mid-range segment, which may lure buyers away from newer brands.
Still, things are looking up for the Nothing Phone (2a), and they’ll only get better as the reviews prove its mettle. We’re already reviewing it, so we’ll know soon.