The Nothing Phone (3) could launch sooner than you might think

Nothing is known for its proactive and involved community, whose feedback seemingly has a direct influence on how the next generation of the young company’s devices are shaped. But considering the amount of hype the brand generates, expectations are high.

In July 2023, the Nothing Phone (2) arrived on the scene, as an improved version of the original Nothing Phone (1). Based on conventional smartphone timelines, it stands to reason that the Nothing Phone (3)’s launch should have taken place last year, but that wasn’t the case.

Instead, the company’s CEO Carl Pei insisted he wanted to wait until 2025, and it now looks like the Phone (3) is just around the corner. Here’s everything you need to know.

When will the Nothing Phone (3) be released?

Back in June 2024, Pei shared on X that Nothing’s next flagship wouldn’t debut until 2025: “it’s important we get the product [Phone (3)] right, integrating hardware and AI.”

2025 is now here, and Nothing has confirmed that its first event of the year will take place on 4 March.

The tagline ‘Power in Perspective’ and short teaser video don’t give much away, but it’s thought to be referring to the Phone (3a) and potentially Phone (3a) Plus instead of the Phone (3).

According to Yogesh Brar: “There are 3 new phones from Nothing under active development right now.” All three phones are said to launch in the first half of 2025, so anytime between now and the end of June.

So, even if it doesn’t launch in March, the Phone (3) may arrive a little earlier in the calendar year than its predecessors:

• Nothing Phone (1): July 2022
• Nothing Phone (2): July 2023

Elsewhere, a new Nothing-branded phone has appeared on the FCC certification platform, carrying the model number 24111, which could align with the expected Phone (3) launch this year.

The sighting was shared by 91Mobiles, which also reported a submitted power of attorney from Nothing, indicating possible revisions to their marketing strategy. The temporary FCC ID for this device is listed as 2AZEQ-24111.

How much will the Nothing Phone (3) cost?

The prices of previous models during their initial launches were as follows:

• Nothing Phone (1): £399/€469
• Nothing Phone (2): £579/$599/€649

Phone (1) was one of the best mid-range phones of 2022, with price a big factor in that. Its successor raised the bar by including a flagship chipset – hence the price rise – although it still didn’t leverage the absolute latest and greatest silicon at the time of launch.

If Nothing decides to use a more powerful flagship chipset, such as the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, then the price of the Phone (3) may increase once again.

According to 91Mobiles, however, the upcoming phone could cost between ₹40,000 and ₹45,000, similar to the launch price of the Phone (2) at ₹45,000. This translates to around £579/$599, which would match the Phone (2)’s launch price.

What specs and features will the Nothing Phone (3) have?

So far, there have been quite a few leaks concerning the Phone (3). Android Headlines reported on a mysterious phone, codenamed ‘Tetris’, which was thought to be the Phone (3).

However, following BIS certification (via 91Mobiles), the device in question is instead expected to be the first smartphone from CMF (Nothing’s value-led sub-brand).

To quote: “The device with code name ‘Tetris’ and model number ‘A015’ is not Nothing Phone 3.” Still, this doesn’t prevent us from theorising a little about the ways in which Phone (3) might improve over its predecessor.

Design

Previously, the Nothing Phone compromised on build quality in order to meet its price point. With the third iteration, we hope to see improvements in protection and durability. The adoption of newer glass technology – possibly the robust Gorilla Glass Victus – could further enhance the device’s overall build quality.

A notable improvement could also be made in the device’s water and dust resistance. The IP54 rating of the Phone (2) falls short of the more common IP68 rating, found on most flagship smartphones. Elevating to at least IP68 would bring the Phone (3) in line with industry standards.

Screen & Speakers

We don’t expect many changes to the display on the Phone (3) compared to its predecessor. The Phone (2) has a 6.7-inch OLED panel that can refresh at up to 120Hz and uses LTPO tech to scale that refresh rate right down to 1Hz when not needed, to save battery.

Its weakest attribute is brightness, with an outdoor panel average of 1,000nits and peak brightness of 1,600nits, falling short in real-world use. As such, a brighter panel would be welcome on the Phone (3).

Improving sound quality and internal speakers would also contribute to a more satisfying audio experience, even for those who primarily use Bluetooth earbuds. Nothing might have its own Ear (2) earbuds, but you don’t want to have to use them all the time.

Performance

Despite featuring a powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, we had some concerns about the user experience slowing down and stalling, in our Phone (2) review.

The Nothing Phone (3) could address this by considering an upgrade to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which powers many 2023 flagships.

Or it could go all-out and opt for the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 – positioned between the 8 Gen 2 and Gen 3 – which would allow it to rival the best Android phones in terms of performance.

This upper mid-tier chip boasts impressive specs, including a Cortex-X4 core at 3GHz, three performance cores at 2.8GHz, and four efficiency cores at 2GHz.

There’s also another possibility, as revealed in a recent Geekbench listing.

The phone was spotted featuring the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset with an octa-core configuration (1 prime core at 2.5 GHz, 3 performance cores at 2.4 GHz, and 4 efficiency cores at 1.8 GHz). Whether this will actually turn out to be true, however, time will tell.

It also reportedly comes with 8GB RAM, achieving benchmark scores of 1,149 (single-core) and 2,813 (multi-core).

Glyph Interface

Building on the strides made with the Phone (2), software refinement remains essential. The Glyph Interface’s features – though innovative – need practical enhancements. Continued efforts to attract third-party support for Glyph features could significantly broaden its appeal.

The Glyph Interface has the potential to be a key selling point of the Phone (3). Exploring innovative uses, such as creating a universal standard for broader applications, and collaborating with major retailers for unique Glyph features could further its unique appeal.

Cameras

Upgrading the camera setup would also be welcome. In particular, Nothing could introduce a better primary sensor and address issues with the ultrawide.

Low-light performance, colour reproduction, and reduced shutter lag should also be priorities for the Phone (3).

Battery & charging

The Phone (2) features a sizeable 4,700mAh battery, with support for 45W wired fast charging. It’s likely that Phone (3) will receive exactly the same treatment, as that still places it above more premium phones like the latest iPhones, Galaxys and Pixels.

Nonetheless, expectations remain high for even more advanced fast-charging technology and an increased battery capacity. As such, improved battery density is one direction we’ve seen rivals like Honor and Sony take.

Software

If a 2025 launch is planned, the Phone (3) will most likely arrive running on Android 15 and Nothing OS 2.5 or Nothing OS 3 out of the box.

As Pei said on X in June 2024, the Phone (3) will be at the centre of the company’s AI efforts. Therefore, we can expect lots of AI features, even if the specifics haven’t been revealed yet.

The leaked internal email in January 2025 also mentions “breakthrough innovations in user interface” as part of an “AI-powered platform”. It remains to be seen what this will entail.

We’ll update this article once more is revealed about Phone (3). In the meantime, take a look at our picks of the current best Android phones and the best mid-range phones, to check out the competition.