No Nothing Phone (4) in 2026, mid-range Phone (4a) coming soon: Carl Pei

If you were waiting for a brand new Nothing flagship in 2026, it’s time to reset your expectations. Nothing’s CEO Carl Pei has confirmed that there will be no Phone (4) this year. Instead, last year’s Phone (3) will continue as the company’s top-end offering through 2026. Also Read: Nothing Phone 4a Pro certification listing hints at bigger battery than Phone 3a Pro

Carl Pei explained that the company doesn’t want to follow the typical yearly upgrade cycle. He says that the idea is simple to launch only a new flagship when there is some visible jump in experience instead of just a mild refresh. It must be noted that it’s a strategy the brand has followed before. So, what should we expect this year? Also Read: Nothing’s first Indian flagship store opens in Bengaluru next month: Check date, expectations, and more

Nothing to focus on mid-range this year

Instead of a flagship, 2026 will be about the A-series. The upcoming Phone (4a) is expected to arrive in the first quarter of the year, and it won’t be a minor update. According to Pei, the mid-range Phone (4a) is tipped to be closer to flagship-like experience.  Also Read: Nothing Phone 4a spotted on certification site, Q1 2026 launch likely

You can expect changes in design, materials, display quality and camera performance. Under the hood, it is set to use the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chip along with faster UFS 3.1 storage. Nothing’s A-series phones have been its biggest sellers so far, so putting more effort here makes practical sense.

Why is Nothing skiping a flagship upgrade?

There are two clear reasons. First, the company wants each flagship to feel like a proper leap, not an annual checkbox. Second, rising component costs are making high-end phones more expensive to build. RAM prices in particular have gone up due to growing AI demand across the industry. Rather than chasing bigger numbers every year, Nothing says it prefers to invest in design, software polish and overall experience.

What else?

Nothing’s plans for the year go beyond smartphones. The company will double down on audio, especially over-ear headphones, after strong response to its first model. On the software side, Nothing OS 4.0 and new “Essential” AI-powered apps are in development. These tools aim to let users create simple apps and widgets just by describing what they want.

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Retail expansion is also part of the plan, with new physical stores, including one in Bengaluru, acting as brand experience spaces rather than just sales counters.