7 things I want from a flagship Nothing phone

7

Better internals

A flagship phone must pack flagship specs

Nothing phones so far have packed decent midrange internals, delivering good performance for their price point. But for its flagship phone, Nothing must go all out and use a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. The latter will firmly put the phone in the Samsung Galaxy S25 and OnePlus 13 territory, while the former will put it a notch below flagship phones.

Both chips deliver better performance than the SoCs Nothing currently uses in its phones. The extra horsepower will allow the company to add compelling AI and camera features to its flagship phone.

Besides a faster chip, Nothing’s first high-end phone should sport 12GB to 16GB RAM, up to 512GB storage, and a 5,000mAh+ cell with at least 45W fast charging. While Nothing phones have featured decent OLED panels, the flagship model should use a newer display with higher brightness and improved power efficiency.

These specs are standard for a high-end Android phone in 2025, which is the bare minimum that Nothing’s flagship phone should match.

6

Great cameras

It does not need to beat the best

Camera performance has been the Achilles’ heel of Nothing phones. While the company has made strides in imaging quality since the original Phone 1, there’s still room for improvement.

Rumors indicate that the Nothing Phone 3a will be the company’s first phone to feature a telephoto shooter. However, a similar camera setup won’t be enough for Nothing’s flagship phone to stand out, as the Phone 3a camera setup will likely be price-constrained.

Nothing should opt for newer, larger camera sensors in its first flagship phone to enhance image quality. This includes using a high-quality 3x or 5x telephoto shooter for a versatile zoom range.

Combining bigger sensors and improved processing should allow Nothing’s flagship to capture more detailed images than its cheaper siblings. These upgrades should also extend to the selfie camera, whose performance has been strictly average in current Nothing phones and needs a much-needed boost.

With nearly all flagship Android phones now boasting excellent cameras, Nothing has little margin for error. Its flagship cannot falter in the camera department. It does not have to beat Google Pixel phones or iPhones, but it should be capable of giving them tough competition.

5

Wider availability

A limited launch will do little good

Irrespective of how good Nothing’s flagship phone turns out to be, it is unlikely to sell in huge numbers. That’s due to the company’s limited presence in some of the world’s biggest smartphone markets. Nothing phones barely have a presence in the US, with the company known more for its audio products.

The Carl Pei-led company has focused more on Europe and parts of Asia with its phones, where customers favor budget and mid-range devices. In markets like India and Germany, where the company has a good fan base, its flagship phone will likely sell in decent numbers.

However, that alone won’t be sufficient. For Nothing to continue releasing flagship phones in the future, it should aim to launch its first premium phone in as many markets as possible. Despite its limited presence in the US, Nothing should heavily market and sell its flagship phone there. This will make more people notice its offerings and help build brand authority for future product releases.

Nothing is seeking $100 million in funding to fuel its impressive growth, though the company reportedly plans to expand its US presence only in 2026.

4

Standout design

With a subtle implementation of Glyph lights

Smartphone design has gotten progressively boring over the years. Besides gaming phones, which cater to a specific set of customers, Nothing phones are the only ones to stand out with their design. This uniqueness comes from Glyph lights and the company’s clever use of a transparent back casing.

For its flagship phone, I hope Nothing stays true to its strengths, making design a standout feature of the device. At the same time, the company should scale back the Glyph lights, incorporating them more subtly to give the phone a refined, high-end look rather than an overly flashy design.

The Nothing Phone 2a Plus looks rad, but the same design is unlikely to work for someone looking to buy a high-end phone.

3

Compelling AI features

Because AI is the buzzword in 2025

Nothing OS is one of the key strengths of Nothing phones, delivering a clean Android experience and packing useful features. While Samsung and Google have gone all in on AI with their recent flagship phones, Nothing has only added Circle to Search to its phones with the Android 15-based Nothing OS 3.0 update.

The company is seemingly working on several AI features, some of which will likely debut with the upcoming Phone 3a series at MWC 2025. With its flagship phone, Nothing should focus on adding relevant and useful AI features instead of taking the kitchen sink approach and adding anything and everything.

For starters, Gemini Nano integration is a must, as that would put the phone in the same league as some of the best high-end Android flagships. This could be useful in the future as Google adds more AI-powered features to Android.

Besides deep Gemini integration, Nothing’s flagship phone should pack common AI features, like AI Notes summarization, browsing assistant, and call transcript. It is nothing pathbreaking, but these AI features can be useful in daily use. I’d also like the company to add one or two cutting-edge AI features to Nothing OS.

2

Longer and more consistent software updates

A flagship phone deserves longer software support

Nothing promises three OS updates and four years of security patches for all its phones launched. But that won’t cut it for the company’s flagship. It must match, if not outdo, its competition and offer at least five years of OS updates for its flagship phone. Four years also works if the company positions the phone as a flagship killer instead of an outright flagship and provides another year of security patches afterward.

Irrespective of whether it is four or five years, it must be a step up from Nothing’s current policy of providing three years of OS updates for its devices.

However, longer software support is only one part of the equation. Nothing must also update its flagship phone more frequently. Currently, the company only releases updates for its devices once every two to three months. With its flagship phone, Nothing must do better and roll out updates at least once every two months.

Both parts of the software update equation are equally important. In the long term, if Nothing wants its flagship phone to make a name for itself, it can only do so by releasing regular software updates.

1

Competitive pricing

Undercut your competition

Nothing will shoot itself in the foot if it prices its first flagship phone in the same ballpark as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra or the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The company does not have the same brand authority as its competitors, especially in the high-end and premium segments. Its flagship phone must undercut its rivals’ pricing.

If Nothing opts for last year’s Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, it could position its flagship as a premium phone rather than a true flagship. This move will allow the company to price the phone more competitively due to the chip’s age and lower pricing. There’s no reason a flagship phone must cost upwards of $1,000.

Competitive pricing would make it easier for eager first-time customers to get their hands on Nothing’s flagship phone and experience Nothing OS. This should help in the long run and attract more users to Nothing’s product ecosystem.

2025 could be the year Nothing goes mainstream

With Nothing reportedly launching as many as three phones this year, it could have a big 2025. Its flagship phone will play a big role in that, so it is important the company nails the execution. Given Carl Pei’s experience and all the products Nothing has launched, its first high-end smartphone should make a name for itself despite stiff competition.