Nothing Phone 3 Has a Launch Date but I’m Not Sure the Price Is Right
When I think of Nothing (the phone company), I think of value. For example, the Nothing Phone 3a costs $379, but it doesn’t feel like it: It looks cool, works well, and meets many of the requirements you’d expect from a phone that costs twice as much, if not more.
Sure, these phones aren’t perfect, and they lack some features that the best iPhones, Pixels, and Galaxy phones might have. But that’s the point: the company is cutting features that most people don’t need or want at this price point, while still offering features that many “budget” phones often miss out on. In a world of expensive flagships, it’s great to see a company continuing to prioritize a premium smartphone experience while keeping the price under control.
Even the Phone 2, which wasn’t considered a “budget” phone, launched at $599 — more expensive than the 3a, sure, but not exactly a premium iPhone price. That’s why I find the Nothing Phone 3 a little confusing. The company officially announced Wednesday that its newest phone will go on sale in July 2025 :
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Nothing hasn’t revealed too many details about the new phone yet, beyond what CEO Carl Pei shared at Google I/O . Back in May, Pei said the Nothing Phone 3 would be the company’s “first true flagship smartphone” and would feature “premium materials, significant performance improvements, and software that really takes things to the next level.”
That all sounds good. I mean, who doesn’t want those three elements in their smartphone of choice? Unfortunately, it looks like the trifecta comes at a price. Pei followed up that vague statement with the Phone 3’s price: £800, or about $1,085 in US dollars. Essentially, the Nothing Phone 3 will compete directly with the iPhone 16 Pro , Pixel 9 Pro , and Galaxy S25+.
Now, it’s possible that US pricing could be different: as spotted by 9to5Google , tipster MysteryLupin posted on X that the Phone 3 will cost $799 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, while the 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage variant costs $899. That $200 could make a difference, putting the Phone 3 under the iPhone 16 and in the same ballpark as the Galaxy S25 and Pixel 9. Leaks and rumors should always be taken with a grain of salt, but Nothing has only revealed UK pricing, so we’re not necessarily locked into that £800 price tag.
We also don’t know enough to say whether that $800-$1,000 MSRP will be worth it, and we probably won’t know until reviewers get their hands on the Phone 3, but I have to admit to some skepticism at this early stage. The Phone 3 may be the phone to beat this year, but for me, the strength of the Nothing is its simplicity: I like that the company is making a phone that looks, well, nothing like the competition, and still finds a way to keep the price exceptional. Of course, extra features and performance are always welcome, but for potentially an extra $700, I’m not sure they’re all that welcome.