Nothing Phone (3a) Iridescent Community Edition Concept Might Be the Prettiest Tech Drop This Year

It doesn’t matter how young or grown-up you are, I’m sure you find iridescence fascinating. Whether it’s the swirling colors on a floating bubble, a pool of gasoline on the road, the shimmering back of an insect, or the reverse face of a CD, iridescence evokes a sense of wonder and childlike joy regardless of age.

Designers Naorem Arlex and Vivek Mahajan bring that same unique joy to the Phone (3a) with their ‘Carpe Diem’ community edition concept. Designed with shiny, colorful iridescent components, this Phone (3a) concept has the appeal of a compact disc – positively hypnotic!

Designers: Naorem Arlex and Vivek Mahajan

Nothing launched the Community Edition competition for the Nothing Phone (3a) earlier this month, flagging off a contest between its legions of fans to design a uniquely eye-catching limited-edition version of the phone, mainly through exploring color finishes and graphical variations. Arlex and Mahajan’s concept does just that, quite like last year’s glow-in-the-dark Phone (2a) community-edition device.

The phone features two interesting design upgrades. First, the camera bump and the faux circuit boards both get an iridescent upgrade, but secondly (and more interestingly), a strip on the bottom left of the phone acts as a color-based thermal indicator, changing hues when the phone heats up. Playing with the iridescent color-change in metals when they go from regular to hot, this little strip acts as a thermometer of sorts, letting you know when your phone heats up, but in a way that aesthetically ties into the phone’s colorful design.

Arlex and Mahajan’s concept shows a variety of color explorations within the iridescence concept. Each of them taps into that wonderful ‘eye-catching’ factor of an iridescent object, whether a bubble or a CD. Just like last year’s glow-in-the-dark phone, this one stops you in your tracks and invites you to inspect it, admire it, and feel like a bit of a curious child again.

The Carpe Diem Community Edition Phone (3a) concept is among over 300 other fan-made concepts. You can check them all out here (and vote for your favorite).