Nothing officially launched its Phone 3a Community Edition smartphone in India on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. The new device, co-created with input from Nothing's global community, carries a price tag of Rs. 28,999. This special edition phone will be available in India starting December 13, 2025, through an exclusive drop event in Bengaluru. Only 1,000 units of the Phone 3a Community Edition will be produced worldwide, making it a highly limited release.[thehindu+8]
Community Collaboration Shapes Design
The Phone 3a Community Edition stands out because of its unique development process. Nothing invited its community members to contribute ideas for the phone's hardware design, software elements, accessories, and even marketing. The company received more than 700 submissions across various categories. This collaborative effort aimed to involve users directly in shaping the product.[thehindu+7]
Four winners emerged from this extensive community project. Emre Kayganacl contributed to the hardware design, while Ambrogio Tacconi and Louis Aymond designed an exclusive accessory. Jad Zock was responsible for the custom lock screen clock and wallpaper design, and Sushruta Sarkar developed the marketing campaign. Nothing supported these creators by offering a £1,000 cash prize for each category.The company stated that this project reflects its broader goal of letting the community help guide its direction.[thehindu+3]
The design of the Phone 3a Community Edition draws inspiration from late 1990s and early 2000s technology.It features a distinct bluish tone with other colorful elements across its body.Nothing describes the aesthetic as a "bold, new and nostalgic colour exploration" that gives it the appearance of a vintage game toy, while still maintaining the Phone 3a's modern identity.This special edition also includes a custom clock face with multiple font weights, designed to reduce visual clutter and guide the user's eye.An exclusive wallpaper also connects the phone's unique exterior color and texture to its software interface.[gadgets360+6]
Key Features and Performance
The Nothing Phone 3a Community Edition comes equipped with a 6.77-inch flexible AMOLED display, offering a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2392 pixels.The screen supports a 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate, ensuring smooth visuals, and can reach a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, making it suitable for outdoor use and media playback.Panda Glass provides protection for the display.[thehindu+6]
Under the hood, the device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset.This processor is designed to handle everyday applications, multitasking, and moderate gaming efficiently.The Phone 3a Community Edition is available in a single configuration, featuring 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.It runs on Nothing OS 3.5, which is based on Android 15, right out of the box.[thehindu+8]
For photography, the smartphone boasts a triple-camera setup on the rear. This includes a 50-megapixel main sensor with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 50-megapixel telephoto camera.The telephoto lens offers 2x optical zoom, 4x in-sensor zoom, and up to 30x digital zoom for capturing distant subjects.For selfies and video calls, the Phone 3a Community Edition features a 32-megapixel front camera.[thehindu+7]
The phone packs a substantial 5,000 mAh battery, supporting 50W fast wired charging.However, the charger is not included in the box.The device also includes modern connectivity options, such as 5G support.The signature Glyph Interface, a series of LED lights on the phone's back, has also been updated with 10 new ringtones and notification sounds for this edition.[m+5]
India Availability and Limited Release
The Nothing Phone 3a Community Edition is a highly exclusive product, with only 1,000 units manufactured for global distribution.In India, interested buyers can purchase the device at a special drop event scheduled for December 13, 2025.This event will take place at 33&Brew, Prestige Technostar, located in Bengaluru, between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. IST.[thehindu+8]
This limited release strategy emphasizes the phone's unique, community-driven nature and creates exclusivity for buyers.The regular Nothing Phone 3a remains available for customers who prefer the standard configuration.The launch of the Community Edition highlights Nothing's ongoing commitment to engaging its user base in product development and offering distinctive devices.[gadgets360+3]
