DUBAI, January 27, 2026, 13:17 (GST)
- UAE regulator database lists a device described only as a “smartphone” with model A069 and equipment registration ER55923/06. (Hdblog)
- Tech outlets have linked model A069 to an unannounced Nothing Phone 4a, with a Pro variant also expected. (Android Authority)
- Reports citing leaks point to Snapdragon 7-series chips and pricing below $600, though details remain unconfirmed. (Gizbot)
Nothing’s rumoured Phone 4a has cleared a certification step in the United Arab Emirates, adding a fresh sign that the mid-range handset is edging closer to launch. Droid Life said the UAE approval lists model number A069. (Droid Life)
That matters because the UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, or TDRA, requires many radio and telecom devices to be registered before they can be used, sold or distributed in the country — a process the regulator calls type approval. (TDRA)
The filing also lands as the industry heads toward Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, scheduled for March 2-5, where smartphone vendors often line up launches and carrier meetings. (MWC Barcelona)
A TDRA screenshot circulating in recent reports shows the device described simply as “smartphone,” dated Jan. 22, with the model listed as A069 and the equipment registration number as ER55923/06. It does not spell out features or the commercial name. (The Tech Outlook)
Nothing has not announced a Phone 4a. Gadgets360 reported that the same model number also appeared in India’s Bureau of Indian Standards database, a separate regulatory step that often precedes local sales, and said recent leaks have suggested pricing around $475 for a 12GB RAM/256GB storage version, with a higher-priced “4a Pro” also tipped. (Gadgets 360)
Gizmochina, citing earlier leaks and tips, said the line-up could use Snapdragon 7-series chips, with the Pro model expected to add features such as eSIM — an embedded SIM that can replace a physical card in some markets — and launch in the first quarter of 2026. (Gizmochina)
If the Phone 4a lands in the same slot as last year’s Phone 3a line, it would again target the crowded band where buyers weigh price, camera performance and battery life more than premium finishes.
That puts it up against heavyweights such as Samsung’s Galaxy A devices and mid-range models from Google, Xiaomi and OnePlus, where even small price changes can swing demand.
But regulatory listings are an early signal, not a launch date. The TDRA entry does not confirm branding, and leaked specifications, pricing and market rollouts often change before a phone reaches shelves.
Nothing CEO Carl Pei has also warned publicly that component costs could put pressure on pricing across the industry. “Brands now face a simple choice: raise prices … or downgrade specs,” he wrote on X earlier this month. (X (formerly Twitter))
For now, the UAE approval adds to a growing paper trail around the Phone 4a series. The next clues are likely to come via further regulator databases — or a calendar slot that lines up with Barcelona.
