Nothing has quickly made a name for itself as one of the most promising newcomer smartphone brands. That’s thanks to its aggressive marketing strategy and unique industrial design, embracing a transparent look on its smartphones and accessories. The Nothing Phone 2, released in the middle of 2023, was the first to launch in the US. With that in mind, our hopes are high for the Nothing Phone 3, which we will likely see around a similar time in 2024. Here is everything we know about what could become one of the best phones in the future.
Nothing Phone 2a review: 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 even sure if it will be called Nothing Phone 3, though 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 the biggest visual differentiators the company offers. 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 similar specs as its predecessor. Rather than go for cutting-edge technology, Nothing opted to use a processor from the previous year. In the case of the Nothing Phone 2, it was the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 rather than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that 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, though with supplemental Qualcomm chips like the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, it’s possible the brand goes in another direction this time around. 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 have to go off of so far is, oddly enough, from Carl Pei’s own 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 entirely, but it does seem like a concrete tease for what’s next in Nothing’s playbook.
Nothing Phone 3: Software
Nothing is known for its focus on aesthetics when it comes to hardware and software, without adding unnecessary bloatware. While the Nothing Phone 1 felt close to the experience on Pixel phones (minus some Pixel-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 since 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 offer longer support for the Phone 3.
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 speed 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.
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 differed between its two predecessors. 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 also don’t have a lot of data on a potential release date. Given that Nothing released its two previous phones in July 2022 and July 2023, it’s likely that the Nothing Phone 3 will follow a similar release schedule. It’s an unusual time to launch a phone, with most brands opting either for the beginning of the year or shortly before the holidays in September and October, which helps move more units. Nothing could adopt a similar strategy with the Phone 3, but the July launch window could be enticing for the company given that there aren’t many brands competing for attention at that time of the year.
The Nothing Phone 3 will likely turn heads again
While we wait for more details on the Nothing Phone 3, one thing is certain. Nothing will more than likely launch a wild advertising campaign, teasing the device over and over before finally revealing it. The design will likely be special, with the company’s unique approach to its phones’ transparent backs.
If you’re looking for a new phone, another great midrange smartphone might suit your needs, including the Nothing Phone 2 and its budget-minded sibling, the Phone 2a. Devices from other brands might not turn heads as much as Nothing’s products, which is really where the company excels.
Nothing Phone 2
While we wait for the Nothing Phone 3, the Phone 2 is still a great choice. It features the company’s unique look while offering competitive specs. It may not be the latest phone out there, but it definitely packs a punch and will almost certainly turn some heads.
