Nothing Phone 3: A Real Flagship Steps Into the Spotlight
Nothing isn’t messing around this time. After years of being pegged as a disruptive underdog in the smartphone world, the company’s founder Carl Pei says the upcoming Nothing Phone 3 will be their first proper flagship—both by ambition and by price.
This third-gen phone is scheduled to launch between July and September 2025, keeping in step with the previous major release cycle. But the price? That’s sure to get people talking. The Phone 3 will start at around £800, which translates to about $1,060 or ₹90,500. That’s double the launch price of Nothing Phone (2) in India—a market where Nothing’s fanbase has exploded over the last year.
Pei’s justification for the price jump is clear: the Nothing Phone 3 won’t just look and feel more expensive, it’ll operate on another level. We’re talking sophisticated build materials, a redone internals lineup, and a deep focus on performance. Pei teased “major performance improvements” but was tight-lipped on specific specs. Expect the latest flagship chipsets and faster everything—from app launches to video editing.
AI at the Core and a 'User-First' Approach
What’s even more interesting is Nothing’s big bet on artificial intelligence. Pei repeatedly mentioned that Phone 3 will feature tightly integrated AI throughout, not just as a gimmick but as part of the core experience. That means smarter messaging, camera enhancements, predictive settings, and possibly voice controls that actually work in the real world.
On the software side, Pei says their custom “user-first OS” will stand out for its simplicity and responsiveness. The idea is for the phone to feel like it anticipates what you need—requiring less input, not more. There’s a clear nod to balancing advanced tech with a sense of restraint, so the phone doesn’t end up with the bloat or lag that can come from bolted-on features.
Nothing’s announcement comes at a fascinating time. While the global smartphone market is still recovering from a slump, Nothing’s performance in India has been anything but dull: the company saw a blistering 156% year-over-year growth, even as other brands struggled. India has quickly become Nothing’s home turf for launches and is likely to get aggressive pricing and special launches around Phone 3.
For fans and tech watchers, the Nothing Phone 3 now sets up a genuine showdown with established players like Apple and Samsung. It’s rare to see a startup ramp up this quickly and vault straight into the high-end arena, especially while focusing on both hardware and software innovations. The next year should reveal whether all the hype—and that hefty price tag—are justified.
