Nothing’s sub-brand, CMF by Nothing, is back to its usual playful antics, dropping cryptic teasers featuring Pokémon. This time, the official CMF handle on X (formerly Twitter) has shared images of Bulbasaur, Gligar, Girafarig, and Hoothoot, and if Nothing’s track record is anything to go by, this is a clear hint that new devices are on the way.

The brand has previously used Pokémon-inspired teasers, with a pixel-art Arcanine leading up to the launch of the Nothing Phone 3a series. Now, CMF is carrying the trend forward, suggesting that multiple products are in development under its name.

What could be coming?

While CMF hasn’t officially confirmed anything yet, leaks suggest these teasers correspond to upcoming gadgets.

Bulbasaur is believed to represent the CMF Phone (2), a successor to the CMF Phone (1) that introduced a modular design. Gligar is likely linked to the CMF Neckband Pro 2, while Hoothoot is thought to hint at the Buds Pro 3. Girafarig, on the other hand, is expected to be a nod to the Watch Pro 3.

Given CMF’s focus on affordability and modular features, these new launches are likely to continue in the same vein, offering strong specs at competitive prices.

Leaked details on CMF Phone 2

Among these anticipated products, the CMF Phone (2) is set to be the biggest highlight of CMF’s 2025 lineup. It is expected to be powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 7400 chipset, which is set to debut soon on the Motorola Edge 60 Fusion.

The phone will reportedly retain its customisable back panel with a dial-like screw for attaching accessories, much like its predecessor. However, the major upgrade could be in the camera department.

Unlike the CMF Phone (1), which had just a 50MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor, the CMF Phone (2) is rumoured to feature a triple-camera setup, potentially adding an ultra-wide-angle lens.

Beyond smartphones, CMF is expected to launch a fresh lineup of wearables. The CMF Watch Pro 3 could bring new smartwatch features, while the Buds Pro 3 and the Neckband Pro 2 are set to offer enhanced audio performance.

CMF is clearly looking to expand its ecosystem, bringing its signature design and value-driven approach to a broader range of products. While official details are still scarce, these Pokémon-themed teasers indicate that the brand has something exciting up its sleeve.

Two smartphones, each positioned in the ₹30,000 segment, yet worlds apart in their personality.

The Samsung Galaxy A36 is quite conservative. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro, is, well, full of flamboyance.

But, beyond those flashy lights, is Nothing finally ready to challenge Samsung's dominance?

Design & Utility

Right out of the gate, design is where these two couldn't be more different.

Samsung’s Galaxy A36 plays it safe, perhaps too safe. It’s essentially recycled from Samsung’s earlier designs. It is definitely not very exciting, but it blends in, which is perfect if you prefer subtlety.

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro, though, screams for attention. With its now iconic transparent back and flashing glyph LEDs, subtle is the last thing it wants to be. And honestly, it still looks quite cool.

However, Nothing went a bit overboard with the camera island, which sticks out quite significantly. These asymmetrical camera lenses also bother my OCD a bit, although a lot of people like it.

Although, this large camera island makes the 3a Pro more stable when laid flat. The A36 wobbles quite significantly while laying flat.

Both phones share a glass sandwich design with a plastic frame. The matte plastic frame on Nothing is grippier, but it feels somewhat cheaper compared to Samsung’s glossy finish.

If durability is your priority, Samsung gains a clear lead with IP67 rating. The Nothing Phone only manages IP64.

The A36 also gets Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection, while the Nothing Phone 3a opts for Panda Glass.

Nothing also impresses with its symmetrical display bezels, making Samsung’s thicker chin feel dated by comparison.

Display & Audio

Moving on, both smartphones come with AMOLED displays. Samsung’s A36 measures at 6.7 inches, while the Nothing Phone is a bit larger at 6.77 inches. Both offer smooth 120Hz refresh rates, along with Widevine L1 certifications.

HBM brightness is also impressive on both. The Nothing edges out slightly with 1300 nits compared to Samsung’s 1200 nits, but both handle sunlight quite comfortably.

When it comes to audio, Nothing punches noticeably louder and clearer with its stereo speakers. Samsung isn’t bad by any means, but the soundstage on the Nothing 3a Pro simply feels fuller.

Performance & Software

Here's where things get a bit tricky. Samsung’s decision to put a Snapdragon 6-series chip in a ₹30,000+ smartphone does raise eyebrows.

The Nothing 3a Pro, meanwhile, chooses the slightly better Snapdragon 7s Gen 3.

Neither will win awards for raw power. Both deliver modest scores on AnTuTu, and in GPU performance tests like Wildlife Extreme Stress Test, both score similarly low.

But both have excellent stability because neither attempts to push its chipset beyond limits.

For gaming, BGMI on Samsung is capped at 60fps, while the Nothing Phone 3a Pro can actually push up to 120fps.

But, these not gaming phones, and frame drops become evident on both during extended gameplay.

Both phones still use UFS 2.2 storage, which is reasonable but not very fast. Daily tasks are smooth enough, but expect occasional slowdowns when multitasking heavily.

Software-wise, it’s night and day again. Nothing OS 3.1 offers a quirky dot-matrix aesthetic, while Samsung’s OneUI 7 remains practical with a better mass appeal.

Nothing provides a genuinely bloat-free experience, which is awesome. Samsung, unfortunately, brings unnecessary baggage like Glance and pre-installed apps.

However, the Nothing Phone’s new “Essential Key”, for its “Essential Space” has left me puzzled. It’s basically a glorified screenshot library app with options to search within screenshots or to watch a voice note to them.

Remember Samsung’s infamous Bixby button? Yeah, it feels just like that. Nothing needs to step it up here or make this button remappable soon.

Interestingly, Nothing is still resisting jumping on the AI bandwagon, with the 3a Pro hardly having an generative AI feature. Samsung includes some basic AI features on the A36, although they’re watered-down from its flagship line-up.

When it comes to software support, Samsung smashes the competition with 6 years of OS and security updates.

Nothing’s promise of 3 OS updates and 4 years security support is also good.

Cameras

Please watch the video to see camera samples.

Now onto cameras. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro has impressed everyone with its camera specs: it includes a 50MP main, an 8MP ultrawide, but most interestingly, a 50MP periscope lens with 3x optical zoom.

The A36, in comparison, has a 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and a rather redundant 5MP macro lens.

Both smartphones deliver solid main camera shots, although Samsung goes cooler, giving photos a slightly bluish tint. Night photos are usable on both, but not remarkable on either phone.

For ultrawide, neither phone truly matches its main sensor’s colour accuracy, but Samsung goes overboard with cooler, oversaturated photos. Some might find it punchy; I find it excessive.

Nothing’s periscope camera is surprisingly crisp for portraits, even if edge detection isn’t perfect. Samsung's portraits are limited to standard 1x shots—no zoomed-in 2x options here.

In videos, Nothing pulls ahead noticeably. 4K at 30fps on the main sensor has better exposure control and sharper on the 3a Pro. Even the ultrawide’s 1080p video has less noise on the Nothing.

Strangely, though, Nothing’s 50MP periscope sensor can’t record 4K: only 1080p, and quality there isn’t impressive.

Battery Life & Charging

Battery life is quite good on both devices, although it’s disappointing to see neither brand use silicon carbon batteries.

Both phones pack a 5000mAh battery, easily offering 8 hours of screen-on time.

When it comes to fast-charging, Nothing edges Samsung slightly at 50W vs Samsung’s 45W. However, neither phone includes a charger in the box. Because, apparently, that’s considered premium these days.

Verdict

Let’s wrap it up. If you want your phone to come with clean software, a good camera system, and loads of personality, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is definitely for you.

However, if durability, reliability, and longevity matter more, the Samsung Galaxy A36 remains the safer bet.

Carl Pei’s Nothing has built a reputation for hype, but with the launch of the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, it has found itself at the centre of yet another controversy. This time, fans are unhappy with the use of UFS 2.2 storage instead of the faster UFS 3.1, which is offered by competing smartphones like the iQOO Neo 10R and Poco X7 Pro in the same price range.

Storage speed plays a significant role in a phone’s overall performance, especially for file transfers, app installations, and loading heavy games. Naturally, users expected Nothing’s latest mid-range devices to include UFS 3.1, and when they didn’t, complaints started pouring in. Pei initially dismissed the backlash, telling users to “stop complaining”, but as criticism grew louder, Nothing issued a detailed explanation.

Nothing’s justification

In a post on its community forums, Nothing defended its choice, insisting that UFS 2.2 wasn’t about cost-cutting but about allocating resources where they matter most. The company argued that storage speed is just one factor in a phone’s performance, and RAM, CPU, and software optimisation play equally important roles.

According to Nothing, most users won’t notice a difference in daily tasks like messaging, browsing, and social media. The only time UFS 3.1 truly stands out is during large file transfers or game installs, which, the company claims, are not frequent tasks for the average user.

Can software optimisations make up for slower storage?

To back up its argument, Nothing shared read/write speed comparisons and highlighted the adaptive NTFS optimisation used in its phones, which helps manage files more efficiently. The company also pointed to its Smart Clean technology, which keeps performance smooth by removing unnecessary files and optimising app loading times.

For those worried about future-proofing, Nothing assured users that long-term performance depends more on software updates than storage speed. It promised that the Phone 3a series will continue performing reliably for years.

So, was this a smart decision or a compromise? If you frequently transfer large files or play heavy games, you may feel the impact. But for everyday users, Nothing believes the difference is negligible.