Ever find yourself fumbling in the dark in search of your phone? You know what? You probably never have to do that if you own a Nothing Phone (2a) Plus Community Edition because this latest Nothing Phone (2a) Plus glows in the dark. In fact, the glow-in-the-dark treatment starts even before you unbox the device; the packaging also glows in the dark. Well, at least the text “Nothing Phone (2a) Plus” does.
Nothing Phone (2a) Plus Community Edition marks what may be the first glow-in-the-dark smartphone to come straight from a community-driven collaboration. If my memory serves me correctly, this is the first glow-in-the-dark smartphone in the world. No. Wait… that’s not 100% accurate. Oppo RENO5 has a bit of glow-in-the-dark but it is limited to the camera bump. Anyhoo, back to this latest delightful gadget from Nothing. Earlier this year, Nothing rallied its fans to pitch in on hardware, wallpaper, packaging, and campaign design, resulting in a device created “by the people, for the people” and delivered with a serious glow.
Four stages led to this version: hardware by @Astrid and @Kenta, wallpaper by @Andres_123, packaging by @Ian_H_Simmonds, and a promotional campaign by @Palmix Art. With only 1,000 units available worldwide, Nothing is giving fans in different regions a chance to snag one, but fair warning—it’s more limited than your favorite exclusive drop. European and Japanese fans need a special invite to purchase, the Middle East is rolling out orders via Instagram (@nothingarabia), and in India, you can register on Flipkart for a chance to buy.
Meanwhile, in Singapore, it will be offered through retailer Limited Edt, and in Malaysia, Crossover will be selling it. Over in the Philippines, it will be available through Nothing’s official store on Shopee. Unfortunately, no luck for the US, Canada, and Mexico through the US Beta program. Even more unfortunate it is for Taiwan and Korea because Community Edition is not available.
Nothing has made it clear that, in select markets, getting your hands on the Community Edition is like competing in the Hunger Games, with only 25 units per Southeast Asian country (except Thailand via Carnival). Price tags are also just as varied as the device itself: £399/€429/€449 for Europe/UK, ₹29,999 in India, and ¥55,800 in Japan, where it supports FeliCa tech.
So, if you’re eager for a glowing, crowd-sourced smartphone, better set your reminder for that November 12 drop—because once these 1,000 phones are gone, they’re gone. Oh, the device is only offered in 12 GB + 256 GB configuration.
Drops and Events straight from the horse’s mouth:
🇬🇧 Nothing Store Soho, London – 16 November 2024
There will be 50 devices available on a first come first served basis. 1 device per customer. An invitation code is not required to purchase at this drop.
🇮🇳 India, Delhi – 23 November 2024 [Stay tuned for the exact location]
There will be 50 devices available on a first come first served basis. The specific location will be shared soon. 1 device per customer. An invitation code is not required to purchase at this drop.
🇩🇪 Sveta Art Gallery, Frankfurt am Main, Germany – 2 November 2024, 14:00 – 15:30
A community event to celebrate the launch of the Community Edition, featuring a guest who will share behind-the-scenes insights about the Community and surprise giveaways. Devices will not be sold at this event.
🇨🇭 Fame Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland – 9 November 2024, 14:00 – 15:30
A community event to celebrate the launch of the Community Edition, featuring a guest who will share behind-the-scenes insights about the Community and surprise giveaways. Devices will not be sold at this event.
Images: Nothing.