Nothing has consistently delivered impressive smartphones at competitive prices. A recent teaser for the Nothing Phone 3 suggests the company is aiming to revolutionize how we interact with our phones through AI integration, potentially making it one of the most anticipated smartphones of 2025.
A person holding the Nothing Phone 2a.Nothing Phone 2a. Image: Andy Boxall / MaagX
Reimagining the Smartphone Experience with AI
Nothing CEO Carl Pei recently unveiled the company’s AI vision in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the Nothing Phone 3’s potential to reshape our understanding of smartphones. Central to this vision is the “hub,” an AI-powered home screen designed to be more than just an app launcher.
The hub features quick access buttons for essential functions like weather, social media, calendar, and messages. Below these are dynamic, context-aware widgets that anticipate user needs. For instance, it can automatically display a QR code for a boarding pass or concert ticket based on calendar entries. This approach aims to transform the home screen into a centralized source of relevant information.
A demo of NothingNothing’s AI-powered smartphone home screen. Image: Nothing
A Personalized AI Companion
Beyond the hub, Nothing is developing a personalized AI voice assistant designed to be a true companion. This assistant could be accessible through the home screen, lock screen, or even potentially integrated with the Nothing Phone’s signature Glyph lights.
Early Stages of Development
These AI features are in their early stages of development, with only two months of progress so far. However, Pei confirmed that these features will begin rolling out with the Nothing Phone 3 in 2025.
A demo of NothingNothing’s AI assistant (with two white eyes) on its new home screen. Image: Nothing
A Milestone in Consumer AI
While the final implementation remains to be seen, Nothing emphasizes the significance of the Phone (3) in its AI journey, promising both software and hardware advancements. This ambition sets it apart from other AI initiatives in the smartphone space.
The Potential of Smartphone AI
Dedicated AI gadgets like the Rabbit R1 and Humane AI Pin have struggled to gain traction. Meanwhile, smartphone AI has often been limited to features like photo editing and translation. While useful, these fall short of the transformative potential of AI. Nothing’s vision for the Phone 3 appears more ambitious, aiming to integrate AI more deeply into the core user experience.
There's been a lot of hype around AI. Some great, some confusing. It’s great to see new companies rethinking the user experience and form factors. However, there is no doubt that smartphones will remain the main consumer AI form factor for the foreseeable future. With over 4… pic.twitter.com/ERJc7xhwBa
— Carl Pei (@getpeid) June 5, 2024
Looking Ahead
While the 2025 release date feels distant, the potential of Nothing’s AI-driven approach to smartphones makes the wait intriguing. Whether Nothing can fully realize its vision remains to be seen, but its ambition to push the boundaries of smartphone AI is undeniably exciting.
