Nothing Phone (3a) Lite Gets More Expensive in India

At its launch, the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite was positioned as an affordable smartphone, sitting just above the CMF Phone 2 Pro. However, it looks like Nothing has quietly bumped up the price of the smartphone, with listings on Flipkart confirming a price increase across both storage variants.

Nothing Phone (3a) Lite gets a Rs 1,000 price increase

If you've been eyeing the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite, the phone will now cost you Rs 21,999 for the base 8 GB + 128 GB variant and Rs 23,999 for the 8 GB + 256 GB variant. That's a flat Rs 1,000 price bump from the previous price of Rs 20,999 and Rs 22,999. The device itself remains identical in terms of hardware and software.

Screenshot of Nothing Phone (3a) Lite Flipkart listing

While Nothing has yet to comment on the price hike, the bump likely reflects a broader trend in the 2026 smartphone market. The main culprit is the RAM crisis, where manufacturers are prioritising AI data centre memory. Brands like Nothing are finding it harder to absorb costs.

Among the price segments affected the most due to the global RAM crisis, are the budget to mid-range segment. This is because brands are known to maintain thinner margins, and rising RAM prices force them to pass on the rising bill of materials to the end consumers. As a result, mid-range phones are slowly drifting into higher price brackets post-launch.

Nothing Phone (3a) Lite in white and black — Image Credit: Beebom Gadgets

Surprisingly, the price of Phone (3a) Lite's younger cousin, the CMF Phone 2 Pro remains unchanged for the base 8 GB + 128 GB variant at Rs 18,999. However, if you're eyeing either smartphones but can't buy the Phone (3a) Lite due to the price increase, it could be a wise decision to act now and purchase the Phone 2 Pro instead, or some of the best smartphones under Rs 20,000.

This price increase just a day into 2026 is like looking into a fortune-telling crystal ball, telling us that smartphone prices will see an upward trend in 2026, especially phones from firms that specialise in making mid-range smartphones. We're talking Motorola, Redmi, Poco, Oppo and more. We will be covering any future price hikes in detail, so stay tuned.