Nothing on Wednesday announced that its budget-focused Phone 2a Plus is now available stateside. As has been the case with the London-based firm’s other handsets, however, there are a few hoops required to purchase the device in the U.S.
The world’s third-largest smartphone market has been notoriously difficult to break into for decades now. Carrier control is one of the biggest issues restricting smaller and upstart brands from cracking in. Even as more users have opted to purchase handsets unlocked and off-contract, carriers continue to play an outsized role in bringing devices to market.
While Nothing founder Carl Pei’s previous company, OnePlus, had remarkable success breaking through the U.S. red tape, much of the newer company’s strategy in the country has relied on its beta program to disseminate handsets in the market.
Among other things, the approach to disseminating the device both maintains the company’s interest in limited-edition drops, while continuing to cultivate the kind of devoted fanbase that was foundational to OnePlus’ rise.
The device maintains Nothing’s familiar transparent aesthetics and Glyph lighting interface at an affordable $399 price point — a significant discount off the Phone 2’s $699 mid-tier entry point.
The Plus is a fast follow to the 2a, which only hit the market back in March of this year. The upgraded handset is $50 more than its predecessor, while still staying below the $400 mark (if only just barely). Most of the specs are the same across the devices, but the $50 bump delivers an upgraded CPU and GPU, which claims to bring 10% and 30% speed bumps, respectively.
Wireless charging speeds have improved, and there have been improvements made to the selfie camera.
The 2a Plus also hit the market in India on Wednesday, starting at ~$335.
