All the features I want to see

Carl Pei wasn’t satisfied with making history just once with OnePlus. In early 2021, he announced the formation of a new company called Nothing. While the very first Nothing Phone showed promise, the Nothing Phone 2 demonstrated a significantly more refined effort, leaving me optimistic about the company’s future. Since then, we’ve seen the Nothing Phone 2a series, the CMF Phone series, and the Nothing Phone 3a series. So what’s next from the company?

While the Nothing Phone 3 might not be coming right away, it’s sure to arrive eventually. There are certain aspects I hope to see addressed with the Nothing Phone 3 when it does finally launch. Here’s my wishlist, along with the limited information available about the device so far.

The Nothing Phone remains somewhat of an enigma. Is it designed for power users, gamers, value users, or spec enthusiasts? It sort of appeals to all of these groups, but only partially. While it undoubtedly delivers a strong performance, it also makes compromises in various areas, including build materials and the camera package. Judging by our readers’ interests and my own, it seems that the Nothing brand currently appeals to individuals seeking raw power and a distinctive look that stands out in a crowd. Typically, this kind of user is willing to pay a premium for such an experience, making an upgrade to a more true flagship experience a potentially well-received move. This upgrade starts with improvements in protection and durability.

The Nothing Phone 2 is rated at just IP54; this is a rarity in the smartphone world and is notably less impressive than the more common IP68 rating. For the Nothing Phone 3, I would like to see the brand address this limitation while also upgrading to newer glass technology. The Gorilla Glass 5 on Nothing’s current flagship is starting to show its age, especially considering that the Gorilla Glass Victus series has become the new gold standard for top-tier phones, with the original Victus often featured on entry-level flagships.

Nothing could benefit from pushing further upscale, while introducing a budget option

 

The biggest complaint about the original Nothing Phone was that it was underpowered, a concern that was partially addressed with the Nothing Phone 2. However, there is still room for improvement. Despite featuring a potent Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus SoC, the Nothing Phone 2 appears to throttle its GPU more aggressively than phones with comparable specifications. While the absolute best Qualcomm chip might not be necessary, refining the user experience to ensure performance matches that of phones in the same price range is crucial. At the very least, including a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the Nothing Phone 3 should be a priority, especially considering that the new-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite has set a new standard for flagships.

Not all power users prioritize having the best camera; some are more into mobile gaming, emulators, and other geekier pursuits. Regardless, while the camera might not be the deciding factor for power users, it remains an important consideration. Regrettably, Nothing was relatively conservative with its camera setups on its mainline flagships. The Nothing Phone 2 featured a nearly identical mediocre camera suite to its predecessor, though it did upgrade its main sensor to the IMX890. While an upgrade, it wasn’t as substantial as one might hope.

Currently, the Nothing Phone 2 performs adequately in good lighting conditions, and even its low-light images are acceptable. However, its colors tend to be overly contrast-heavy, occasionally bleeding into other objects and surfaces. Additionally, it exhibits a noticeable shutter lag compared to other phones. While the main shooter generally does a satisfactory job, the primary issue lies with the Samsung JN1 used for its ultrawide camera. This sensor produces muddy textures and halo effects, despite the company’s efforts to enhance the experience with software updates. Even if Nothing decides to retain the IMX890, it should consider replacing the JN1 with a more modern sensor.

Another significant concern is the selfie shooter. While it performs adequately, its limitation to 1080p seems like a major oversight in today’s world of bloggers and TikTok users. It is hoped that the Nothing Phone 3 will offer true 4K performance for video recording, addressing this apparent limitation.

The good news is that the mid-tier Nothing Phone 3a devices both offer telephoto cameras. So don’t be surprised if the Nothing Phone 3a Pro’s 50MP 3x camera (or an even better camera) comes to the new flagship, dramatically improving zoom quality.

Okay, this is a relatively minor point compared to all the others, but I’d like to see an improved sound experience with the Nothing Phone 3. The Nothing Phone 2 has a somewhat tinny sound quality to it. While many of us use Bluetooth earbuds for mobile audio, having a set of good internal speakers is still appreciated when you want to quickly show someone something on your phone.

Another small point for those in the United States is the lack of Verizon support. This likely comes down to Verizon’s strict certification processes rather than a true lack of capability. The reality is Verizon is no longer a CDMA carrier, which used to be the main issue. Now it’s often possible to get unsupported phones to work with Verizon, though their actual performance may vary. If Nothing wants to seek wider appeal in the US market, adding official Verizon support would be an easy way to do it. Verizon is also no stranger to partnering with carriers for exclusive additions that play nicer with their network.

The Nothing Phone 2 made significant strides on the software front, transforming the user experience into something more polished and refined. However, there is still room for improvement, particularly when it comes to the Glyph, which, in my view, remains more of a gimmick than a true game-changer.

With the addition of more LED strips and innovative Glyph features such as Glyph Composer for personalized sounds and Essential Glyph for prioritizing certain apps, the Nothing Phone 2 showcased plenty of advancements. However, many of these features felt like nice extras with limited practical support. For instance, the feature allowing the Glyph to light up when your Uber ride is nearing completion is cool, but the lack of support for other services like Lyft or delivery apps diminishes its overall utility.

To truly elevate the Glyph’s standing, Nothing must attract third-party support. Unfortunately, Nothing hasn’t had very good luck here. Its third-party dealings have either been very limited, like in the case of Uber, or ill-advised, like its collaboration with Sunbird for Nothing Chats. What holds Nothing back is that developers are often leary to work on such devices as they’ll only support the very small niche market of Nothing Phone owners. That’s not an easy problem to overcome without throwing around money. That’s something a newer company really can’t afford to do.

Even if Nothing manages to secure more app support for customized notifications and Glyph usage, it might not be enough. The company needs to explore innovative ways to use it first, which is a tall order. For example, envision a scenario where Nothing creates a free universal standard, enabling Nothing Phone users to use their device as a buzzer replacement in restaurants or retail establishments. Collaborating with major retailers and chain restaurants to implement such a feature could be a strategic move. That’s just one half-baked idea, but the point is the more places the Glyph can be used the more it will prove itself as a legitimate feature.

• Nothing Phone — July 21, 2022
• Nothing Phone 2 — July 17, 2023

Yes, the Nothing Phone 3 will eventually surface. Company founder Carl Pei recently confirmed that the phone will launch in Q3 2025.

Historically the Nothing Phone series launches in July, but the Nothing Phone 3 is in a unique position. Unlike most companies, Nothing isn’t committing to the typical yearly release cycle for its flagship. Pei says that don’t want to compete and instead want to do their own thing, even going as far as to reference how Nintendo makes its own way instead of following the typical rules of the gaming industry.

While many expected the Nothing Phone 3 to arrive sooner rather than later, the Nothing Phone 3a series actually arrived first in Q1 2025. It looks like there’ll be a bit of a gap between this release and the Phone 3’s launch, according to Pei.

As for what we do know about the Nothing Phone 3? Virtually nothing anymore. Every previous rumor is from mid-2024 or earlier, back when it was assumed the Nothing Phone 3 would arrive first.

This is a tough one. The vague Q3 2025 release window doesn’t help matters. Furthermore, the Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro both look like great mid-range Android phones that capture the essence of top-tier Nothing phones. So you could opt for one of these phones and get a good Nothing experience. Otherwise, if you want a flagship Nothing experience in terms of performance and other bells and whistles, then you’ll have to wait.

What if you just want a good flagship-tier phone and don’t mind a Nothing alternative? The Google Pixel 9 ($799 at Amazon) or Samsung Galaxy S25 ($809.99 at Amazon) are probably more practical options with better software support, better cameras, and similar (or sometimes even better) performance.