Making sense of the Nothing Phone 3 buzz: Hype, hints, hopes, price (expected)

The Nothing Phone 3 is almost here — and the internet can’t stop whispering (and yelling) about it. 

With leaks flying, AI dreams stirring, and a July launch date looming, it’s time to unpack what we think we know about Nothing’s next flagship.

Circle your calendars and set your Glyph timers: July 1, 2025, at 1 PM ET is when Nothing plans to officially pull the curtain back.

And it tracks:

Phone 1: Dropped in July 2022.

Phone 2: Showed up in July 2023.

Phone 3: Well, it’s July again (almost) — so why break the streak?

Plus, with the Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro already out as of March 2025, a flagship upgrade is the next logical step.

Nothing’s co-founder and hype-machine-in-chief Carl Pei recently chimed in on social media with his vision of the “post-app world”. 

TL;DR: “Smartphones aren’t going away — they’re evolving. It’s time we made them feel more human.”

Translation: Nothing is betting big on AI — not just for show, but for making your phone feel more like a thoughtful assistant and less like a touchscreen to-do list.

Pei even teased early prototypes of AI-driven interactions and a refreshed UI design, with the Nothing Phone 3 leading the charge. “Expect smiles,” he said.

What's Nothing Phone 3 gonna look like?

We don’t have an official design yet — but we’ve got hints. Carl Pei may or may not have leaked renders on X (formerly Twitter), showing off what looks like:

Let’s speculate wildly (but responsibly)

If we were psychic — or just had great Wi-Fi — here’s what we’d bet on for the Nothing Phone 3:

Faster Charging: Expect an upgrade from the Phone 2’s already solid 45W. Maybe 65W?

Bigger Battery: The Phone 2 had 4,700mAh; we’re betting on a round 5,000mAh.

Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip: It’s the buzzword of the moment. If true, that means serious performance gains.

Improved cameras: Rumours say a Sony LYTIA sensor could be onboard. Better night shots? Sharper selfies? Yes, please.

More AI, less app clutter: With Nothing’s push into AI, expect features that predict your needs rather than make you dig through menus.

And yes — the dual-camera design will probably stick around. It’s kind of their thing.

We’re still in crystal ball territory here, but if Nothing sticks to its past playbook, expect something in the $599–$699 range. That’s still hundreds less than your average iPhone or Galaxy Ultra — and a big part of Nothing’s appeal.

X users are sleuthing every frame of Pei’s AI demo video for hints. Here’s what the experts and leakers are murmuring:

@91mobiles hints at a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip.

@PhoneArena says the cameras are getting a sensor boost, likely from Sony.

Some fans think the new side button could be fully programmable — i.e. custom shortcuts.

If Nothing pulls it off, the Phone 3 might be one of the first truly AI-forward Android phones. Think smart widgets, dynamic interfaces, and maybe even voice or gesture controls that learn your habits.

Carl Pei summed it up:

“This is our way of throwing our hat into the consumer AI race.”

The Nothing Phone 3 isn’t just shaping up to be another smartphone — it’s shaping up to be a statement. From upgraded silicon and smarter lights to a sprinkle of AI magic, it might be Nothing’s boldest (and most fun) device yet.

Stay tuned. July 1 is just around the bend. And if history repeats itself, it’s going to glow.