Nothing has officially lifted the lid on Phone (3) at today’s "Come to Play" showcase, confirming months of teasers with a spec sheet that finally pushes the brand's hardware into true photography-flagship territory. But does the Phone (3)'s move to a trio of top 50MP sensors mean it can finally play with the top Pixels and Galaxies?
The most exciting new addition is the periscope lens, which boasts a 3x optical reach, 6x lossless zoom, and AI-assisted digital zoom capabilities extending up to 60x – all with optical image stabilization (OIS). Using a 50MP 1/2.75” sensor with an f/2.68 aperture, the telephoto also takes on macro duties, which is a much better solution than the unflattering perspective of ultra-wide macro cameras. The Nothing (3) telephoto also manages to improve on the Nothing 3(a) Pro with a close focus of just 10cm.
The primary 50MP camera has a 1/1.3” sensor supported by OIS, and sits behind an ƒ/1.68 lens, letting in 44% more light, and is shooting 70% faster than the Nothing (2). The camera can also use pixel binning trickery for lossless 1.5x (35mm) and 2x (48mm) capture.
Last but not least for the rear cameras, the 50MP ultra-wide completes the set, with a 114º field of view, and a 1/2.76” sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. On the front, there is a 50MP selfie camera with an 81.2º field of view.
For video, all four cameras are capable of shooting in 4K up to 60p, or slow-motion footage in 1080p full HD at up to 240p. Nothing is also touting its improved image pipeline, which should make capture and processing of images and videos that much smoother. For the first time in a Nothing phone, you can also record 4K in UltraXDR (HDR) for expanded dynamic range.
The design remains quintessentially Nothing, but with some new touches still on-brand. The Phone (3) sports Nothing’s signature transparent rear panel, but the Glyph Interface of LED lights from the Phone (2) has morphed into a new "Glyph Matrix" running across the top-left corner. These new segmented LEDs expand on the photography experience – doubling as a visual countdown for self-timers and time-lapses, alongside a new red flashing LED as a recording indicator.
Up front, a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel delivers a 1.5K resolution at 460ppi, a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and to keep photo and video colors accurate, it supports HDR10+ and 1.07 billion colors. Bezels are also impressively small, with a screen-to-body ratio of 92.89%.
The Phone (3) is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, which is a 36% CPU and 88% GPU improvement over the previous generation. This is paired with up to 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. While the 5,150mAh battery is bolstered by 65W wired fast charging and 15W wireless charging.
Nothing OS 3.5 debuts with the Phone (3), and Nothing’s Essential Space (like an AI-powered scrapbook for screenshots) is present and accessed via the hardware key on the side of the phone. The Phone (3) is backed by five years of Android version updates and seven years of security patches that should reassure anyone planning to hang on past the typical two-year cycle.
Available in black or white and launching at $799 / £799 for the 12GB+256GB base spec and $899 / £899 for the 16GB+12GB version, the Phone (3) now rubs shoulders with Galaxy, Pixel, and OnePlus heavyweights on price and is a big jump from the Phone (2) – although i
Nothing Headphones (1)
Alongside the Nothing Phone (3), Nothing is also announcing the Headphones (1), its first pair of over-ear headphones. With a signature Nothing transparent design, and the latest features like active noise cancelling and head tracking. The Headphones (1) also come with a 3.5mm jack and fine grained control over the sound profile from the Headphones (1) in Nothing’s companion app – so both and video editors might find a lot to love.
The Nothing Headphones (1) will cost $299 / £299 and are available in black or white to match the Phone (3).
