OPINION : Nothing ’s CEO Carl Pei has all but confirmed the brand ’s extremely anticipated Phone 3 will be arriving in the US this year – and it ’s the launch I am looking forward to the most .

It ’s become a bit cliché to say even thebest smartphoneshave become slow . I say it in most of my earphone reviews , and it has become the narrative around just about all the big acquittance .

Since Apple set in motion the original iPhone , designs have lento flux into one , with most of the individualism removed .

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

Samsung Galaxy S25 Egde

For too long , thebest iPhonesandbest Android phoneshave been sold on most of the same feature . We ’ve had yr of focus on the tv camera – from the years of inflate megapixel count , to many software gimmicks and multiple genus Lens .

We ’re now into an era of AI software tweaks being the main marketing point , and it ’s already starting to palpate like all the AI features are the same .

Look at the biggest features of Galaxy AI and Apple Intelligence , both are built on the same thing : writing tools , paradigm generation and transcribing .

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

Samsung Galaxy S25 Egde

A design-focused future?

Things could be exchange though , and I feel like 2025 could be the twelvemonth where the focus turns to design rather than excess spec - bumps or software tweak that 90 % of drug user will impact once and then discard .

Both Samsung and Apple are pose to eject phones this year that are going to be sold on their respective super - flimsy purpose . TheGalaxy S25 Edge , which we ’ve already seen a few clock time , is rumoured to formally arrive in May , and many believe the iPhone 17 Air will follow in September .

Motorola has also shown it is interested in focus on figure with the late upgrades to the Razr foldable line . TheRazr 60 Ultracan be customised with various material back , let in a wooden option that ’s a right atavist to the originative Moto X from over a X ago .

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

Samsung Galaxy S25 Egde

A lot from Nothing

But , the brandreallychampioning excogitation and essay so intemperately to brook out from the dull crowd is Nothing . This year alone , the London - base brand has launched one of thebest mid - range phonesin theNothing Phone 3a Proand come after that up with the very groundbreaking CMF Phone 2 Pro .

Both of these phones have aspects that put them apart from the crowd . The Nothing Phone 3a Pro is , in my opinion , the advantageously - looking earphone around . It has this transparent back – a trait the brand has become known for – that give it the retro feel of an original Game Boy colour , plus a saucy blue colour and an overall industrial smell that gets people talking .

The CMF Phone 2 Pro is innovative in a very different way of life . This budget twist can be paired with a crew of accessories that become part of the headphone itself , screwing in to feel like part of the literal design .

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

There ’s a macro lens that screws over the exsiting camera , a charismatic case that seize over the original back and a lanyard loop . Some will call this a gismo , but a widget is fine if it ’s genuinely offering something different .

The press release I am really bet forward to from Nothing though , is the Phone 3 .

Without being shackle to a budget or even mid - range price ( the Phone 3a Pro feels like it ’s sitting in the price stage where theNothing Phone 2originally did ) I think Nothing can really stand out , combining its innovative purpose overture without a more traditional phone al-Qaeda .

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

Not long to go

We ’ve been waiting for the Phone 3 for a while , and Nothing has already shown it ’s not bothered about break out of the traditional yearly release cycle . The brand ’s chief executive officer , Carl Pei , has confirmed in an X Q&A that the Phone 3 will be go far in Q3 , so it might only be a few more months before we see it in the flesh .

Q3

Rumours about what might be include in the Phone 3 remain slender , although grumble have suggested it ’ll pack a gamey - end ( although not flagship ) Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 cow chip to provide plenty of power . I ’d also expect Nothing to go even further with its Glyph light user interface .

Nothing Phone 3a camera

Nothing Phone 3a camera

Even with Apple and Samsung place to launch their slimmest ever phones , my most expect sound curing to get this year is the Nothing Phone 3 – and I ’ve got very in high spirits hopes .

Nothing Phone 3a camera

Nothing Phone 3a camera

Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro

Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro

Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro

Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

Samsung Galaxy S25 Egde

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

Nothing Phone 3a camera

Nothing Phone 3a camera

Nothing Phone 3a camera

Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro

Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro

Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro