- Nothing Phone (3) is expected to launch in the coming months.
- The phone should feature Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 and a 5,000 mAh battery with faster charging.
- The Nothing OS 3.0 will feature a revamped QS menu and an improved overall UI.
Nothing has had a great 2024 so far thanks to the launch of Nothing Phone (2a). The company also recently launched its latest audio product the Ear and Ear (a), and it’s almost that time of the year when Nothing launches a new flagship Nothing Phone. Although we don’t have reports of Nothing Phone (3) landing anytime soon, the current smartphone market and trends give us enough freedom to speculate what the Phone (3)’s specifications could look like. Here’s our Nothing Phone (3) roundup.
Nothing Phone (3) Expected Launch Date
Nothing Phone (3) is expected to launch sometime in September. The Phone (2) launched in July last year, but the Phone (2a) came out in March, followed by a new colorway of the same on April 29. Given the good sales figures of Phone (2a), Nothing would want to keep the hype alive for some time, and that could be the reason why the Phone (3) might launch in September or October instead. We could be wrong, though.
Performance: Which Snapdragon?
One of the main questions that we’ve had in mind since the release of the Phone (2a) is which Qualcomm processor Nothing should opt for in the Phone (3). With the latest Snapdragon SoC releases, the answer to that question has become clearer, and we think the Nothing Phone (3) will probably feature Snapdragon 8s Gen 3. As noted in our Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs 8s Gen 3 comparison, the former has a better multicore score while the latter is slightly power efficient.
Although, we wouldn’t be surprised if Nothing ends up going with the SoC that’s more affordable. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is considerably older than the 8s Gen 3, but we’re not sure if it still costs higher per unit than the 8s Gen 3. We wouldn’t know until we get the first performance leak crumbs of the Phone (3).
Nothing Phone (3): Design
If I were on Nothing’s design team, I’d be scratching my head over where to take the design next. It’s safe to say that Nothing’s design philosophy has worked well, and they’ve probably achieved what they wanted with the Phone (1) and (2).
We don’t have a clue or speculation about the design other than stating the obvious traits that the Phone (3) will feature a transparent back and will retain the Glyph interface. That said, I did think of a few design choices we published in my Nothing Phone (3) op-ed. We will update you as soon as any renders come out.
Cameras
We currently have no information about the cameras either. Both the Phone (1) and Phone (2) featured dual-rear cameras, with the primary being a wide angle while the secondary being an ultrawide snapper.
One of the most requested features of the Nothing Phone (3) is probably the addition of a Telephoto lens by either substituting the ultrawide or adding a third camera. Whether Nothing listens to this request remains to be seen.
Battery and Charging
Again, we do not have information about the battery size or charging speeds. The Nothing Phone (2) featured a 4,700 mAh cell capable of charging at 45W. The Phone (2a), on the other hand, features a larger 5,000 mAh battery. The Phone (3) could probably feature a 5,000 mAh battery and bump in charging speeds from 45W to 65 or 67W. We should also see improvements in wireless charging speeds.
Software and Connectivity
Nothing OS 3.0 is in the works and is expected to launch alongside the Nothing Phone (3). A few things we know about the same is that it will revamp the Quick Settings panel to give it a Nothing-esque look. The firm has asked users to give feedback about how they would like the revamped panel.
Besides, Nothing is developing gallery and community apps which will probably be a part of Nothing OS 3.0. Nothing is yet to highlight the direction their UI is headed toward but considering what they’ve achieved so far, we’re expecting something good.
The Phone (3) should arrive with a USB 2.0 Type-C port, all the essential 5G and 4G bands, Wi-Fi 7/6E/5/2.4 GHz, and dual SIM card slots.
Storage and RAM
Again, we don’t know about the storage variants but if we had to guess, the Phone (3) should come in three variants 8 GB + 128 GB, 12 GB + 256 GB, and 12 GB + 512 GB. We speculate Nothing won’t be considering shifting to UFS 4.0 to keep the cost-per-unit low. Hence, expect them to retain UFS 3.1 and LPDDR5X RAM across the variants.
Color Variants and Pricing
We know nothing about Nothing Phone (3)’s price or colors (no pun intended) but we speculate that Nothing will stick to its two classic colors — White and Grey (or a slightly lighter or darker Grey). They could launch a new colorway like they did with the Phone (2a) but we’re just launching arrows in the air right now.
The pricing, too, should remain the same, i.e., Rs 45,000, $699, €729, and £579. We could see Nothing experiment more with the Phone (4) but right now, they still need to strengthen their grip on the market, and it can only be done by keeping the Phone (3) price stationary.
Nothing Phone (3): My Wishlist
Here are some of the things I’d love to see in Nothing Phone (3).
- A 3X Telephoto camera replacing Ultrawide.
- Faster wired and wireless charging.
- More apps with Glyph integration.
- USB 3.2 with video output.
- Four years of major software updates
What are your thoughts on the Nothing Phone (3)? When do you think it will launch, and what improvements in specifications would you like to see in the same? Let us know in the comments below.
