In the ever-vocal world of smartphone launches, Nothing’s Phone 3 has stirred up a hornet’s nest of hot takes, polarizing opinions, and, in Carl Pei’s words, “a little too much emotion” over a phone design. Following a wave of critical reviews from top-tier tech YouTubers including MKBHD, Mrwhosetheboss, and Beebom, Nothing’s CEO posted a video response aimed squarely at clarifying the company’s vision — and defending their boldest phone yet (Source: YouTube via Android Authority).
An experience-based approach to flagships
The complete package, if not the greatest specs
Pei, never one to shy away from industry disruption, acknowledged the harsh reception with disarming honesty: “We started this company because we were bored,” he said, referring to the homogenized landscape of smartphones. “Whenever you do something different, some people are going to love it, some people are not going to like it.”
The Phone 3 is certainly different. Gone are the iconic glyph lights that defined Nothing’s earlier models. In their place: a monochrome dot-matrix display nestled in the top corner of the rear panel — a design choice critics panned as both asymmetrical and gimmicky. MKBHD called it “ugly,” while Arun Maini (Mrwhosetheboss) lamented that the camera alignment gave off “unfinished prototype energy.”
When [the Glyph Interface] came out, it was super controversial. And now, when we remove those lights on the back, then it seems like the world is falling apart. People learn to love the Glyph lights.
Pei stood firm. The asymmetry, he argued, was intentional and rooted in real engineering trade-offs. “We punched through the PCB to make the camera more flush,” he explained, noting that from a modular view, the design retains balance. And while the Glyph Matrix may be alienating fans of the signature LED system, Pei believes it’s only a matter of time before users warm to the new aesthetic: “People hated the Phone 3a Pro too, until it became a top seller,” he reminded.
Critics also hammered the Phone 3’s pricing. At $799, it’s more expensive than many Snapdragon 8s Gen 4-powered competitors like the Poco F7. Pei didn’t dispute that, but pushed back on the pricing narrative. “We have the highest component costs at scale,” he said, citing Nothing’s smaller market share and manufacturing leverage. “We’re not here to win a race to the bottom. That’s a negative way of building a business.”
Software, as always, remains Nothing’s ace in the hole. Reviewers, including MrMobile and Lim Reviews, praised Nothing OS 3.5 as one of the cleanest Android skins available. Pei teased the upcoming 4.0 update, as well as deeper integration with its Gemini-powered “Essential Search,” designed to streamline tasks like quick lookups and on-device math solving — subtle but thoughtful additions that reflect Nothing’s ethos of “intentional design.”
We’re always about creating a really great user experience with a unique take on our design and software… And the biggest thing, it’s completely bloatware-free.
As for the camera, Pei admitted it’s “one notch behind” the top-tier flagships, but emphasized steady progress. “We focused a lot of energy on getting the basic experience up to a good level,” he said, calling out macro shots via the periscope lens as a unique strength.
Ultimately, Pei made clear that Nothing isn’t building phones for everyone. “If you want lobster, not another crab, we’re your brand,” he quipped. That might not win over every spec-obsessed buyer, but for those who want something with personality — for better or worse — the Phone 3 may just be the most Nothing phone yet.
