Nothing is a promising newcomer smartphone brand, thanks to its aggressive marketing strategy and unique industrial design.Nothing’s smartphones and accessoriesembrace a transparent look. The Nothing Phone 2, released in the middle of 2023, was the first to launch in the US, and our hopes are high for the Nothing Phone 3, which we will likely won’t see until Spring of 2025. Here’s everything we know about what could become one of the best phones in the future.
Nothing Phone 2a: Nothing you’re missing out on
In an about-face from Phone 2, Nothing’s latest is made for Europe and Asia
Nothing Phone 3: Design and specs
Nothing has been good at keeping its next flagship phone under wraps. We’re not sure if it will be called Nothing Phone 3. That’s the only option if the company wants to keep a clear lineage to its previous handsets. In that same vein, Nothing will likely stick to its transparent back design with the Nothing Phone 3 since that’s one of its biggest visual differentiators. It will almost certainly feature Glyph lights again, strips of LED lights that can be controlled via software for notifications and as video fill lights.
We expect the Nothing Phone 3 to go for specs similar to its predecessor. Rather than go for cutting-edge technology, Nothing may use a processor from the previous year. In the Nothing Phone 2, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 rather than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 was available when it launched. This meant the company could offer the phone slightly cheaper without a significant performance downgrade.
Nothing will likely follow a similar strategy with the Nothing Phone 3 to keep undercutting competitors in price. However, with supplemental Qualcomm chips like the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, the brand may go in another direction this time. With the Nothing Phone 2a, the company opted for a MediaTek chipset, something we don’t expect to see on its next flagship revision.
When it comes to overall design changes, the only rumor we’ve heard is, oddly enough, from Carl Pei’s social media posts. The CEO and founder of Nothing shared images teasing a quick settings redesign using the outline of a smartphone featuring an additional button not seen on last year’s Phone 2. It could be an iPhone-like Action Button, a dedicated shutter button, or something else. Still, it seems like a concrete tease for what’s next in Nothing’s playbook.
Nothing Phone 3: Software
Nothing is known for its focus on aesthetics regarding hardware and software without adding unnecessary bloatware. While the Nothing Phone 1 felt close to the experience on Pixel phones (minus somePixel-exclusive features), the Phone 2 added more heavy theming options, with an optional black-and-white look for your home screen and thoughtful lock screen widgets. The Nothing Phone 3 will likely continue down this path, offering more customization without adding needless bloatware.
With the Phone 2, Nothing promises three years of Android updates and four years of bi-monthly security patches. This was still good enough for 2023, but many manufacturers have caught up in this area and surpassed Nothing. With Samsung and Google offering seven years of OS patches (even on midrange phones like the Pixel 8a), we hope the company will provide longer support for the Phone 3.
In addition, Nothing’s founder, Carl Pei, announced the company plans to addAI features to the Nothing Phone 3. Nothing added a ChatGPT widget to its version of Android 14 and integration with the company’s earbuds. It will be interesting to see Nothing’s take on AI and how it fits into the company’s user-friendly vision.
Nothing Phone 3: Cameras
The camera experience on the two existing Nothing smartphones is a mixed bag. The company fixed many initial issues with the Phone 1 in software, but it never reached parity with the Samsung phones and Pixels in the same price range. The Phone 2 is better, but still not as good as many competitors.
In good lighting conditions, the Phone 2 takes good photos, with Nothing allowing a more natural look than trying to make every dark spot as bright as the rest. The Phone 2 still can’t compete in challenging lighting conditions, with slow shutter speeds and long exposure times hampering the experience. It’s clear that Nothing’s image processing needs some work, and we hope the Phone 3 will be able to trump in this area.
The Nothing Phone 2a Plus is yet another superb budget phone you probably can’t buy
Nothing Phone 2a, part two
Nothing Phone 3: Rumored price and release window
It’s difficult to guess how much the Nothing Phone 3 will cost, given that the price of its two predecessors differed. The Nothing Phone 1, which never launched in the US outside a limited beta program, went for £400 or €470 (roughly $500) in Europe, while the Phone 2 saw an increase of about $100, reaching a price of $600 in the US.
Depending on which upgrades Nothing will add to the Phone 3, we might look at another $100 increase, especially since the £319 starting price of the Phone 2a makes a more expensive flagship easier to understand. Still, the company could stick to the $600 the Phone 2 launched with. It’s unlikely that the price will be significantly different from its predecessor’s.
We don’t have a specific release window, but we expect a longer gap between Nothing Phone releases. The Nothing Phone and Nothing Phone 2 appeared a year apart, but signs point to a2025 release for the Nothing Phone 3. Nothing seemed focused on its sub-brand CMF and the Nothing Phone 2a. Perhaps the company’s attention will shift towards the Nothing Phone 3.
The Nothing Phone 3 will likely turn heads again
While we wait for more details on the Nothing Phone 3, one thing is sure: It will likely launch a wild advertising campaign, repeatedly teasing the device before finally revealing it. The design will likely be exceptional, with the company’s unique approach to its phones' transparent backs.
If you’re looking for a new phone, anothergreat midrange smartphonemight suit your needs, or you may scratch your Nothing itch with aNothing Phone 2a. Devices from other brands might not turn heads as much as Nothing’s products, which is where the company excels.
