Nothing is preparing to launch the Phone 4a, its latest mid-range smartphone, and it is bringing a redesigned LED notification system called Glyph Bar. The new design features six square lights and nine individually controllable mini-LEDs, replacing the three LED strips found on previous A-series models like the Phone 2a, 3a, and 3a Pro. Nothing says the Glyph Bar is 40 percent brighter than earlier A-series Glyph lights while featuring patented technologies for more natural, neutral, and bleed-free illumination.
The Glyph Bar represents the latest evolution in Nothing's signature LED notification system. The original Phone 1 featured five LED strips, the Phone 2 expanded to 11 strips with more customization, and the flagship Phone 3 introduced a Glyph Matrix with 489 LEDs arranged in a circular grid that functions like a small display. The Phone 4a brings this distinctive design language to the company's more affordable lineup with a new horizontal bar configuration. Nothing has historically provided open-source support for its Glyph system, with an official Glyph Developer Kit and unofficial API documentation that enable programmatic LED control through intents and custom applications.
Nothing will officially unveil the Phone 4a on 2026-03-05, when full specifications and pricing will be revealed. According to early reports, the device is expected to include a 120 Hz display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 processor, three rear cameras (primary, ultrawide, and telephoto), and a 5,400 mAh battery with 50W charging support. Configuration options are rumored to include 8GB RAM with 128GB storage or 12GB RAM with 256GB storage, though these details remain unconfirmed.