Smartphones

Nothing Phone (3a) Lite touts midrange specs as entry-level

Both the specs and the price are in midrange territory.

Published

October 30, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

As they’ve announced recently, Nothing has now expanded its lineup to include the more budget-friendly Phone (3a) Lite.

Formerly thriving on only flagship and midrange models, Nothing has recently pushed to include entry-level smartphones into its lineup. The Nothing Phone (3a) Lite is the brand’s first ever foray into the segment.

Not bad for an entry-level phone

Though the phone has a price tag that starts at only EUR 249 (or approximately US$ 289), the Phone (3a) Lite still rocks the brand’s iconic design, which the brand calls “a beautiful balance of matte and gloss.” It will have a Glyph Light which, unlike the longer strip of the past, is just a single blinking LED for notifications. The transparent back is encased in Panda Glass, broken only by the protruding triple rear camera combination.

Speaking of which, the phone comes with a 50-megapixel main shooter with a 1/1.57-inch Samsung sensor. It’s paired with an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a macro lens. This trio is still capable of shooting 4K resolutions at 30 frames per second. Additionally, it comes with a 16-megapixel front camera.

In front, the phone has a 6.77-inch AMOLED display — putting out 1080p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 3,000 nits of peak brightness. The side has this generation’s Essential Key (which we didn’t really care for in the flagship model).

Under the hood, the Phone (3a) Lite sports the Dimensity 7300 Pro 5G chipset. This is paired with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. Finally, it has a 5000mAh battery, capable of 33W fast charging.

The bloatware begins

As we noted previously, Nothing has changed its perspectives on offering no bloatware inside its phones. Starting with Nothing OS 4.0 (which this phone will eventually come with), the brand’s non-flagship phones will eventually come with Lock Glimpse, a lock screen that’s essentially a rolling carousel of wallpapers with links to content. It’s similar to the lock screens you might see in Chinese smartphones these days.

Additionally, the upcoming update will start shipping smartphones off with preinstalled apps, starting with Instagram. It’s a big step away from Nothing’s prior commitment to offering a pure Android experience.

Price and availability

Available in black and white, the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite is out now in Europe. The base 128GB model sells for EUR 249. Meanwhile, the larger 256GB variant ships for EUR 279. There’s no word yet on availability elsewhere.

Related Topics:Nothing Nothing Phone (3a) Lite

News

The iPhone 18 might sell out for an unexpected reason

The ongoing shortage might play a part in the phone selling out earlier than expected.

Published

August 7, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

An iPhone selling out is not news. Because of how popular the phones are, it’s within the realm of probability that Apple runs out of stock at some point. According to a new report, this year won’t be any different… but it’s for an entirely different reason.

First reported by analyst Tim Culpan, Apple is reportedly struggling to meet its demand for semiconductors for the iPhone 18 and the foldable iPhone. The ongoing memory shortage is cutting off Apple’s ability to deliver the required supply of smartphones in a timely fashion. The report even claims that TSMC, which helps produce the iPhone, is sitting on a shipment of processors, worth US$ 1 billion, that don’t have memory chips.

Now, Apple is still confident that it can weather the launch. However, if the shortage persists, the iPhone 18 generation will likely sell out much more quickly than expected.

It’s an interesting time for Apple to experience such a shortage. It’s been heavily rumored that the company will launch its very first foldable phone next month, creating a new market for the brand. Apple definitely wants this attempt to succeed after the tepid response to its last new product, the Vision Pro.

Deals

nubia expands gaming lineup with Neo 5 Max, Neo 5 GT Special Edition

Get them with freebies until August 8

Published

August 6, 2026

GadgetMatch

Mobile gamers are in for a treat as the newly-released nubia Neo 5 Max PadPhone, as well as the Neo 5 GT Special Edition, have special deals throughout the weekend.

This is as part of the “#NEOVerseMaxOut: Max Out Your World” campaign, with nubia offering the two new models under their popular Neo series.

Purchases until August 8 come with a free 3-month Viu Premium subscription, as well as up to PhP 7,999 worth of freebies.

Freebies include power banks, Bluetooth speakers, earbuds, portable fans, and more.

Both smartphones offer users more ways to enjoy immersive entertainment, gaming, and everyday productivity.

The recently-launched Neo 5 Max comes with a 7.5-inch display for more room for content consumption and gaming.

It also houses a 7,100mAh dual-cell battery for more power, specially in extended sessions, streaming marathons, or busy days.

The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7100 chipset, along with more features like Dolby Atmos, Neo Triggers 5.0, RGB Eagle Eye Lighting, and IP64 dust and water resistance.

It is priced at PhP 19,999.

Meanwhile, the Neo 5 GT Special Edition brings together nubia’s most advanced gaming technologies.

At the heart of the device is the AquaCore Cooling System. This is the only liquid and air dual active cooling system in its class.

The handset comes with a 6.8-inch 1.5K 144Hz AMOLED display (SGS-certified Eye Care), a Dimensity 7400 processor, and up to 24GB of dynamic RAM.

Inside is a 6,210mAh battery with support for 80W charging. It has a similar 50MP camera as well as IP64 rating.

This variant is priced at PhP 26,999.

News

Google will force Android users to use Gemini next month

Google Assistant will be retired as well.

Published

August 6, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

What is Google’s voice assistant called? Technically, there are two possible answers: Google Assistant and Gemini. Despite Google’s push for Gemini, the ubiquitous Google Assistant is still a common option for most users. However, the company will soon take that choice away as the voice assistant will retire in favor of Gemini.

First reported by 9to5Google, Google has sent emails to users, declaring that Google Assistant will no longer be an option for Android users starting September 4. On that date, the company will slowly roll out an update to get rid of the assistant’s availability on device.

Google also makes it clear that Gemini will be “the assistant experience on Android” moving forward. If you’re used to Google Assistant to help you with handsfree use, you’ll have only one option soon. This also affects other peripherals including smartwatches and audio accessories.

Of course, there are a few exceptions. Devices that can’t support an AI-powered assistant like Gemini are mercifully spared of the forced transition. Likewise, devices in countries that don’t support the AI assistant are also saved.

Despite the tepid reception of AI today, Google remains adamant about pushing Gemini to more users, regardless of whether they want it or not. In fact, a forced move like this will likely inflate the numbers that more devices are using Google’s AI software than ever before, while conveniently hiding the fact that most users never really had much of a choice.