Nothing announced the Phone (2a) mid-ranger at the beginning of this month, and today it's finally gone on sale. It's been pretty successful too, with the company reporting that over 60,000 units were ordered in the first hour of availability.

What an entrance for Phone (2a)! Just 1 hour in and already sold over 60,000 units. pic.twitter.com/QMA8LYpuyo

— Nothing (@nothing) March 12, 2024

Nothing is also pushing out Nothing OS 2.5.3 to the Phone (2a) as a day-one, out-of-the-box update. It comes with support for Ultra XDR in the camera, enhances the camera app's performance overall, and brings "multiple improvements across HDR, color saturation and front camera clarity" too.

Just out and already a new update.

Introducing Nothing OS 2.5.3 for Phone (2a). With improved camera performance, smoother operation, and handy new widgets.

To update, head to Settings > System > System Update pic.twitter.com/5HcP3BaOOi

— Nothing (@nothing) March 11, 2024

Background app performance is better, as is the touchscreen experience, and you can also expect "overall refinements to user interface and animations", along with a haptic level setting. There are three new widgets too - Camera, Battery, and Recorder.

That last one - Recorder - actually allows you to record phone calls without the other party knowing what you're doing, and this could prove controversial since it's a function that might actually be illegal in some places. So if you want to use it, proceed with caution - perhaps check if you are legally allowed to do so where you live.

Nothing Phone (2a)

For example, in the US, 11 states require two-party consent for recording phone calls - which means you need to notify the other party that your are recording, and not do it if they don't agree. In Europe, France, Germany, and Spain also have a two-party consent rule.

Via