London-based Nothing Tuesday launched a smartphone under its newly introduced Phone 4b series, targeting customers in emerging markets and other budget-conscious buyers in a tight economic environment.
The company hopes to sustain its business operations and attract smartphone customers even as the cost of the memory chips it uses has surged.
The Phone 4b can be seen as a trial run for a new smartphone segment positioned between the entry-level and mid-range categories. With the Phone 4b, Nothing is testing its ability to build and ship a smartphone for this segment, particularly in the Indian market, its largest by market share, amid a global memory shortage.
The Phone 4b’s Glyph Bar uses five LED lights to display notifications, charging status and other alerts. (Image: The Indian Express/ Anuj Bhatia)
Nothing’s Phone 4b series, which starts at Rs 34,999 for the 8 GB RAM/128 GB storage variant, features a polycarbonate build while retaining the company’s signature design language, including a semi-transparent finish around the camera island. It also features the Glyph Bar, which consists of five small square LED lights positioned to the right of the camera.
These lights serve as notification indicators for incoming calls, text messages, battery charging, deliveries and other alerts, allowing users to stay informed without turning on the main screen. The device also features a 6.77-inch AMOLED display, a large 6,000 mAh battery, a Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 processor and a dual-camera setup on the back.
Nothing hopes the Phone 4b will appeal to value-conscious buyers amid rising smartphone prices driven by higher memory costs. (Image: The Indian Express/ Anuj Bhatia)
Rising memory prices
Analysts told indianexpress.com at the time that consumers should not expect relief this year or next, as higher memory costs are likely to continue driving up the prices of smartphones and laptops.
Prices for DRAM, a key computer memory component, increased by 80 per cent to 90 per cent within the first six weeks of this year.
Memory, commonly referred to as RAM, is essential for all computing devices, including smartphones, tablets and laptops. The cost of memory chips has been rising due to a supply shortage, largely driven by surging demand from AI data centres. Companies such as Nvidia and Google have been securing RAM supplies and paying higher prices.
The special, limited RCB edition of the Phone 4b. (Image: The Indian Express/ Anuj Bhatia)
As a result, the cost of some consumer electronics is rising. Leading technology brands are increasing the prices of their devices, passing on the higher memory costs to consumers, with further price increases possible in the future.
Initially, consumers were not aware of the price hikes. However, those upgrading to a new smartphone or laptop can easily see that prices have risen substantially.
Nothing, an upstart player in the smartphone market, has also increased the prices of its smartphones, including the Phone 4a series, which was launched earlier this year. The price hike is in line with competitors’, many of which have also raised their smartphone prices.
