Previously leaked Nothing Phone 2a renders lacking glyph lights revealed to be fake

Remember those minimalistic and glyph-less renders of the Nothing Phone 2a that leaked earlier this week? Well, it turns out that they weren't real and instead were elaborately doctored images. The images, courtesy of the usually-reliable leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer (a.k.a. @OnLeaks), were actually based on rejected Nothing Phone designs, not the real 2a.

Here's where things went wrong: Hemmerstoffer, who is known for his accurate leaks, was misled by his source. Instead of legit info, he received manipulated files showcasing a scrapped phone design, not the upcoming 2a. Unfortunately, both Hemmerstoffer and SmartPrix — the publication collaborating on the leak — failed to initially disclose the unofficial nature of the source, unlike their usual transparent approach. This transparency lapse fueled some doubts and confusion among fans and other reliable leakers, such as Evan Blass (@evleaks) who questioned the validity of this leak when it first appeared.

One of the biggest tipoffs that the leak was fake, was the fact that the render looked very different from the teasers that Nothing had officially revealed in the past, as well as some other tidbits such as the fact that the render wasn't "Foxconn-sourced" and that the product tagline didn't quite match the design we were looking at. This caused SmartPrix to go back and recheck the source and since then, both them and Hemmerstoffer have come forward to clear the air.

So, what about the real 2a? As of now, it's a mystery shrouded in a (presumably transparent) case. The design remains under wraps, and any further leaks (real or otherwise) should be treated with healthy skepticism until official confirmation arrives. As of now, it appears that the design previously leaked by Blass is the more accurate one, but at this point we have no way of knowing for real.

This incident serves as a reminder that not all leaks are created equal and even reliable leakers with a proven track record can sometimes be misled. For the most accurate picture, design teasers officially released by the manufacturer should take precedence and anything else should be taken with a huge grain of salt. This serves as a learning experience for both leakers and tech publications (yours truly included) alike.