[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong] British smartphone company Nothing will unveil its new budget smartphone 'Phone 4b' on July 7 local time.

According to IT media outlet Engadget, the device will be Nothing’s first B-series model and is expected to sit at a price tier one step below the existing A series.

Nothing announced the launch schedule on X, formerly Twitter, and also revealed part of the product’s design. Images and animations released so far show the Phone 4b has an overall look similar to the Phone 4a released early this year. The company’s Glyph Bar placed next to the rear camera module changes some elements. While the Phone 4a used 7 lighting panels, the Phone 4b appears to have 5.

The Glyph Bar is a lighting interface that operates vertically on the back. Users can set different lighting patterns depending on the type of notification. Nothing appears to be keeping this design element again, maintaining the product identity.

Some key specifications have also emerged. The Phone 4b appeared on benchmark site Geekbench, which indicates it has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chipset and 8GB of RAM. Nothing has not officially announced detailed specifications, but based on the information disclosed so far, the configuration is likely aimed at the lower-midrange market.

The new product also ties in with a reshuffle of Nothing’s smartphone lineup. Akis Evangelidis (아키스 에반겔리디스), a Nothing co-founder, said on X that the B series is a product range that expands into a new segment on the back of the A series’ success, while also maintaining a clear product hierarchy. He said the A series remains the most premium line below the flagship, and the B series sits beneath it.

As a result, Nothing now has a multi-layer structure consisting of flagship, A series and B series. Judging from the naming system alone, it is closer to an additional axis to broaden the price and specification range rather than a new line created to replace the A series.

Moves by CMF, a low-cost brand under Nothing, also stand in contrast. CMF is responsible for devices cheaper than Nothing’s main brand, but it has decided not to release a successor to the 'CMF Phone 2 Pro' this year. Evangelidis, CEO, said, "With RAM prices high, it is hard to make a smartphone that fits the CMF price range and also feels like a real step forward."

In this situation, the Phone 4b launch is read as a choice by Nothing to refine the entry-level segment within its main brand rather than in the ultra-low-cost space. While CMF delays a successor, Nothing is set up to absorb demand at lower price points through the B series.

The remaining point to watch is what level of core specifications such as price, camera and battery will be presented at the July 7 unveiling. In particular, how clearly it differentiates from the Phone 4a is expected to be the first test of whether the B series can take hold.

Phone (4b). 7 July, 11:00 BST. pic.twitter.com/ksHy9hTM1x