News
Nothing Phone (2a) Introduced With New Design And Lower Price
In a global rollout, Nothing has launched the new handset targeting “young & creative” buyers.
Following its debut design showcase at MWC in Barcelona, emerging smartphone manufacturer Nothing has officially introduced the Nothing Phone (2a). This new addition to their product line will diversify the company’s range of models and pricing tiers, and is slated for release on March 8th in Gulf Coast Countries after a global keynote on March 5th.
Beyond its pricing strategy, Nothing sets a new standard in design innovation by introducing what it claims to be the pioneering concept of an “internal smartphone”. This approach seamlessly integrates the device’s components into its external design, presenting essential functionalities in novel and innovative ways.
“Over the past decade, there has been a sea of sameness in the tech industry,” explained Rishi Kishor Gupta, Regional Director for Middle East and Africa at Nothing. “There is clearly a lack of excitement and optimism like we used to feel back in our childhood days. In every single smartphone launch, we see iterations vs. innovations. Here’s where we’re trying to fill the gap”.
Also Read: UGREEN Nexode Pro Review: Portable Yet Powerful Chargers
With the brand securing an exclusive distribution partnership with Dubai-based Eros for the UAE and Bahrain markets, consumers in these regions will have the opportunity to be early adopters of the Phone (2a), along with access to exclusive incentives and promotions available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Limited to only 100 units, an exclusive bundle featuring the Phone (2a) will be offered, complete with a personalized thank you card from Carl Pei, CEO of Nothing. Additionally, purchasers will receive a complimentary Phone (2a) case featuring cityscape designs, CMF Buds, a CMF 65W GaN charger, phone straps, and a branded tote bag from Nothing.
Nothing Phone (2a) Specs And Pricing:
- Screen: 7″ 120Hz FHD+ OLED (394 PPI)
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro
- RAM: 8 / 12GB
- Storage: 128 / 256GB
- Operating System: Nothing OS 2.5
- Camera: 50MP main and ultrawide, 32MP selfie
- Connectivity: 5G, eSIM, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3 and GNSS
- Battery: 5,000 mAh
- Water Resistance: IP54
- Dimensions: 162 x 76.3 x 8.9mm
- Weight: 190g
The Nothing Phone (2a) will retail at Dh1,199 for the 128GB version, while the 256GB costs Dh1,399.
News
Visa’s Return To Syria Starts With A Test And A Bank In Lebanon
Foreign visitors will be the first users to benefit, but whether Syria’s own banks and cardholders follow is still an open question.
Visa is returning to Syria. Its first live international card transaction in the country was a test rather than a launch, and the milestone event ran through a Lebanese bank.
The acquirer (the bank on the merchant’s side of a card payment) was Fransabank Lebanon, with Paymera as the other named partner. Nadim Moujaes, who heads a Fransabank Group subsidiary, describes the test as both the culmination of “longstanding efforts to link Syria back to international payment networks” and “the first step in a larger path”.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa makes the first electronic payment in Syria using a @Visa card at a store in Damascus, following the lifting of US sanctions on Syria. pic.twitter.com/lpAN7nQ6Fc
— Tech Magazine (@TechMGZN) August 27, 2026
“We are excited to have successfully tested live transactions today as we plan to enable international visitors to use their Visa cards while in Syria,” says Leila Serhan, Visa’s senior vice president and group country manager for the North Africa, Levant and Pakistan region. Although a significant first step, that plan doesn’t come with a hard date for when a visitor’s card will work normally.
Mohammed Safwat Raslan, governor of the Central Bank of Syria, says the test paves the way for international card acceptance in Syria and that maintaining strong compliance, risk management and operational controls will remain essential. Serhan likewise stresses that Visa has worked within applicable legal, regulatory and compliance requirements. For a test transaction, it seems there was a great deal of attention paid to the rules, with the entire operation being carefully managed.
Also Read: Lebanon’s 5G Era Begins With 150 Stations And A $1M Budget
The test is the latest step in a sequence that began in December 2025, when Visa announced a strategic roadmap to support Syria’s integration into the global digital economy. In February 2026 it hosted its first industry gathering of banks, ecosystem partners and policymakers in Damascus and, the same month, signed an agreement with Syria’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in San Francisco.
Michel Kattouah, Paymera’s CEO, called the test “the return of international card acceptance,” but while that’s positive news, there’s no word yet on when a Syrian bank will issue a Visa card to a Syrian customer.
Visa’s Return To Syria Starts With A Test And A Bank In Lebanon
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