The startup Nothing has unveiled Phone (3), its first flagship smartphone with the familiar minimalist, transparent design. The standout feature of Nothing’s Phone (3) is the Glyph Matrix screen.
What is Phone (3)’s Glyph Matrix?
The Glyph Matrix is a mini, dot-matrix LED screen on the back of the device that can display low-resolution icons and patterns. The idea is for the images that flash up to be immediately recognisable to the user, who can connect them to a specific alert or app without needing to look at the device’s display. The Glyph Matrix replaces the Glyph light strips featured on previous Nothing devices, which flashed in custom patterns to indicate notifications.
It displays a range of useful visuals, such as a camera countdown, volume level, and even a full torch mode when all 489 LEDs are illuminated. Phone (3) also generates unique ringtones and glyph animations based on the caller’s name or phone number, creating a personalised light-and-sound signature for each contact.
The Glyph Matrix, located in the upper right corner of the device’s rear, can even be used to play minigames, also known as Glyph Toys. It comes loaded with spin the bottle, rock-paper-scissors, and a Magic 8 Ball, as well as the more practical stopwatch, compass, battery indicator, digital clock, and even a lo-fi selfie mirror. A haptic button on the back lets you cycle through and use the Glyph Matrix features.
What is Phone (3)’s Essential Key button?
Phone (3) also comes with the Essential Key, a customisable side button that can be mapped to trigger specific actions like activating the camera or turning on the torch. However, its default action is to take a screenshot with a short press or record a voice note with a long press, and the device then uses AI to summarise the information it sees or hears and stores it in the Essential Space app.
Essential Space was first introduced on the Phone (3a) Pro, but with the Phone (3), the Essential Key can also activate meeting audio recording and transcription when the phone is placed face down. The app now includes the Essential Search bar, too, a universal AI-powered tool that allows users to search across contacts, photos, files, and receive ChatGPT-like answers to basic queries.
What are the Phone (3)’s specs?
Like the other Nothing devices, the outer casing of the Phone (3) is transparent so you can see the circuit covers and screws within, but the internals are available in black or white. The camera, Glyph Matrix, and other elements on the rear are also deliberately misaligned, which might not be to everyone’s taste.
On the inside, the Phone (3) is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor and runs Nothing OS 3.5, a custom operating system based on Android 15. While Android 16 has since launched, the upcoming Nothing OS 4.0, its equivalent, is scheduled to roll out to Phone (3) devices later this year. Nothing also promises five years of software updates and seven years of security updates.
Phone (3) specs compared to Phone (2)
| Phone (3) | Phone (2) | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cameras | 3 on back (main, telephoto, ultra-wide), 1 on front (selfie) | 2 on back (main, ultra-wide), 1 on front (selfie) |
| Main camera spec | 50 MP, 1.3-inch sensor, f/1.7 aperture | 50 MP, 1.6-inch sensor, f/1.9 aperture |
| Telephoto camera spec | 50 MP, 3x optical zoom, 60x digital zoom | n/a |
| Ultra-wide camera spec | 50 MP, 114-degree field of view | 50 MP, 114-degree field of view |
| Selfie camera spec | 50 MP | 32 MP |
| Screen | 6.67-inch AMOLED | 6.7-inch LTPO OLED |
| Maximum screen brightness | 4,500 nits | 1,600 nits |
| Screen resolution | 1,260 x 2,800 pixels (1.5 K) | 1,080 x 2,412 pixels |
| Screen material | Gorilla Glass 7i | Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Screen refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Device width | 9 mm | 8.6 mm |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB, 12 GB |
| Battery capacity | 5,150 mA, silicon-carbon | 4,700 mAh, lithium-ion |
| Wired charging speed | 65 W | 45 W |
| Wireless charging speed | 15 W | 15 W |
| Water and dust resistance rating | IP68 (submerged up to 1.5m for 30 minutes) | IP54 (water splashes) |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB |
Prices and shipping dates
The Phone (3) is available for $799 with 256 GB of storage, and $899 for 512 GB of storage, and is compatible with T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon. It will be available for pre-order in the US on Nothing’s online store and Amazon on July 4, with the general sale starting on July 15.
In the market for an upgrade? Check out TechRepublic’s expert guides on the best business smartphones and top budget-friendly picks.
