The Nothing Phone (3) Will Cost Almost $1,000: But Why?
The Nothing Phone (3) will cost 800 pounds sterling, or about $1000. This was declared by Nothing founder and CEO Carl Pei at the Android Show organized by Google on May 14, a choice that comes as little surprise but is nevertheless at odds with Nothing's philosophy. Until now, the London-based brand had been releasing products that were more affordable than the competition, with a focus on simplicity.
The Nothing Phone (3) is supposed to be the manufacturer's "first true flagship", according to Carl Pei. This idea of releasing a truly high-end, truly expensive smartphone must have been simmering at Nothing for quite some time. Year after year, the manufacturer has complicated its product catalog, multiplied ranges, and, above all, raised prices.
Nothing Phone (3) at 1000 dollars, an almost obvious choice
The brand's first smartphone, the Nothing Phone (1) launched in 2022, cost approximately $500 at launch. The Nothing Phone (2) released in 2023: 679 euros (about $750). After that, Nothing began releasing more affordable "(a)" variants of its products: the Nothing ear (a) as a cheaper alternative to the Nothing ear. Or the Nothing Phone (2a), less expensive than the Nothing Phone (2).
But it didn't stop there. The Nothing Phone (2a) got a Nothing Phone (2a) Plus variant, slightly more powerful and more expensive. The same goes for the manufacturer's latest range, with the Nothing Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro, while the Nothing Phone (3) hasn't even been released yet.
What? Are you lost? That's the point. By multiplying these products and ranges, Nothing was testing the waters. It was testing its users' tolerance threshold for different pricing policies. That's why Carl Pei almost seems to skim over the question of the Nothing Phone's price (3) in the video extract below (00:53). The outcry, the tears of rage from fans and the bitter reproaches from testers, he must have been thinking about it for a very long time.
The price has been raised, but not the specs?
The price increase for the Nothing Phone (3) was almost inevitable. It's astonishing that the manufacturer waited so long to change its mind. Can we even call it a turnaround?
This kind of break in pricing policy is by no means new. OnePlus was the perfect example a few years ago. The brand, co-founded by Carl Pei, presented itself as a brand for cool "geeks" or tech enthusiasts. And, as its success grew, so did its community, OnePlus became increasingly mainstream and sold more and more expensive products.
If Nothing decides to follow suit, another brand will take its place. Perhaps it will be its own sub-brand, CMF, that fills the void.
In any case, these are purely subjective speculations and theories. Apart from the price shock, the Nothing Phone (3)'s main complaint is its alleged technical specifications.
Indeed, the first leaks don't give the impression that this will be a "true first flagship" for Nothing. According to the latest leaks, the SoC of the next Nothing smartphone will be a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, or even an 8s Gen 3. The range of smartphones priced under $1000 is very competitive. And given its price rise, the Nothing Phone (3) will be eagerly awaited.
What do you think of the Nothing Phone (3) and its possible price? Do you think Nothing will follow in OnePlus' footsteps?
Source: The Android Show (Youtube)
