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Nothing founder Carl Pei has revealed that Phone 3 will ship next year, and will tout AI as a central feature.
In an X post and accompanying video, Pei argued that the smartphone user experience hadn’t changed for “more than a decade,” and that AI integrated deep into Nothing software would help change things.
An early prototype revealed a personalized, multimodal AI that wouldn’t be bound by the usual app constraints. It could hold a friendly conversation, or find a QR code for a travel ticket. It might appear as an overlay on the home or lock screen.
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
The Nothing Phone 3 will ideally blend hardware and AI in a way that’s both practical and “brings a smile to people’s faces,” Pei said.
The news may be disappointing for Nothing fans expecting a new flagship phone this year. The only new handset released this year has been the Phone 2 (a), the company’s first direct entry into the budget smartphone space. Enthusiasts may have to either sit tight or consider alternatives like the Google Pixel series, Samsung’s Galaxy S line, or the OnePlus 12 from Pei’s previous employer.
Nothing Phone 3 won’t be the brand’s first attempt at integrating AI, however. Both the Ear and Ear (a) have quick access to ChatGPT as a selling point when used with one of the company’s phones.
Pei stressed that he saw smartphones as the main way to access AI for the “foreseeable future” due to the sheer number of users. Nothing isn’t in a rush to produce AI-specific devices like the Humane AI Pin or Rabbit R1, in other words.
