News

Nothing Phone (2a) To Launch In March: Here’s What We Know So Far

The company has confirmed that the budget-friendly handset is scheduled to be unveiled on March 5 at 11:30 GMT.

Published

3 years ago

February 14, 2024

The debut of the Nothing Phone (2a) — the third smartphone from the disruptive brand — is on the horizon and slated for release next month. The device is tipped to be positioned as a more budget-friendly option compared to its predecessor, the original Nothing Phone 2, which made its debut last year.

In a video shared on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) earlier this week, Nothing officially confirmed the forthcoming launch of its next smartphone as March 5th at 11:30 GMT.

Fresh. Eyes.

The official Phone (2a) launch event is happening on 5 March 2024, 11:30 GMT. pic.twitter.com/eE6hPjXOeB

— Nothing (@nothing) February 13, 2024

Leaked images of a pre-production unit have already surfaced, showcasing a redesigned back panel. The forthcoming Nothing Phone (2a) is also set to feature a centrally positioned hole-punch for its front camera and a horizontally aligned 50-megapixel dual camera configuration on the rear panel, a departure from previous design iterations of Nothing smartphones.

nothing phone 2a leaked image

In addition, rumors are circulating regarding the inclusion of a revamped Glyph Interface, offering similar Glyph controls as the Nothing Phone 2. Another insider has hinted at the integration of a trio of Glyph components inside the device.

Also Read: Saudia Introduces Sanitizing Prayer Beads For Religious Pilgrimages

Based on the disclosed details and accompanying visuals, indications suggest that the Nothing Phone (2a) will debut with Nothing OS 2.5, which is based on Android 14.

In terms of hardware, rumors have been mixed: Many pundits suggested the phone would feature a 6.7-inch AMOLED screen, while others said a 120Hz OLED display would be more likely. Reports also suggest the Nothing Phone (2a) will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 SoC, paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

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.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 27, 2026

Dana Saadeh

visa's return to syria starts with a test and a bank in lebanon

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.