Nothing has the rumour mill in overdrive once more with a Pokemon-tinged teaser for its next hardware. The campaign is fronted by Blastoise and Jumpluff, and with the push in India, it’s safe to say at least one of these will be on shelves before long.
If you look at the dot-matrix style of the photos, you’ll see a familiar pattern. This is how the brand has always done it: they link a codename to a Pokemon, then put the character out there before the product. Lately, word on the street is that a phone and a set of wireless earbuds are in the offing.
A way to build some momentum
It’s not just for show. It’s a way to hold your attention and let the speculating begin. The London outfit is getting its community in the mood well in advance of any official news.
Having both Blastoise and Jumpluff in the frame is a tell for a double drop. It shows Nothing wants to put more in the catalogue and make sure people don’t forget about them in between the big ones.
What the phone teasers mean for India
The fact that Nothing India put out the Blastoise image is enough to get people talking about a phone coming to the region. You can see why; India is a big part of their story and they’ve been making moves there of late.
Then there are the leaks. Some have the Blastoise post down as a nod to the CMF Phone 3 Pro. We’re hearing about a better camera, a sturdier build, a bigger battery and a Qualcomm chip. It’s been in the wild in recent reports and is supposed to have a bit of the premium feel of the mainline Nothing phones.
Or maybe not
There’s another side to it. Because the teaser was from Nothing India and not CMF, some are putting forward a straight Nothing model. And in a bit of a hunch, there’s even talk of a special edition for the market, like an RCB-tied Phone 3a, though nothing is confirmed.
One or two have also put out a 5,500mAh battery with 45W charging in the mix. A tipster had it going in August, but the company won’t be drawn on a date just yet.
As for the audio: the usual suspects
Jumpluff is a good fit for something like earbuds. Leaks have the Nothing Ear (3a) in the works to follow up on the (a).
You can expect 11mm dynamic drivers, some spatial audio, LDAC and a custom EQ. They should also be keeping with the see-through design that you know and love from the brand.
Word is they’ll come in at about EUR 99, or some Rs 10,700. It’s a price that makes sense for what you’re getting – no-nonsense specs and the kind of look Nothing is known for.
So, here is the gist of what the teasers are saying:
– A phone in the making, courtesy of Blastoise
– A CMF Phone 3 Pro with a Qualcomm inside
– The Nothing Ear (3a), with ANC and 11mm drivers
– An India launch on the cards, per the local post
Why you should be looking at this
This is how Nothing likes to time things: keep a presence and put out a little of everything. The post from India is a signal they want to make the most of the ground they’ve made there.
We don’t have hard numbers or names from the top yet. But when Nothing teases, it doesn’t take long for the other shoe to drop. If you go by the past, we’ll have our answers on the phone and earbuds in short order. For now, it looks like we have a few weeks of this to go through.
