The newly launched Nothing Phone 3 and the Apple iPhone 16, both among the most exciting smartphones of 2025, have one question raised a real question: Can Nothing Compete? That is, can Nothing Phone 3 compete with the iPhone 16? We put the two side by side for an analysis of their differences, similarities, and competitiveness.
Design and Build Quality of Nothing Phone 3 And iPhone 16
With its unique transparent back and LED Glyph Interface, the Nothing Phone 3 becomes much more appealing. In contrast, the iPhone 16 sports a polished look with an advanced titanium frame to add more class to the phone. Build-wise, the iPhone is still great, but the minimalistic trend of Nothing designs has attracted a lot of attention.
Display Technology
The iPhone 16 has an OLED Super Retina XDR display, while the Nothing Phone 3 features an AMOLED screen at a 120Hz refresh rate. These displays are high-end, but the iPhone's system appears to be more accurate in colour calibration and HDR experience. However, the Nothing display remains smoother and more relaxing for the eye.
Performance and Chipset
The iPhone 16 is powered by Apple's A18 Bionic chipset, which is unparalleled in performance-parallel AI and battery optimization. On the other hand, Nothing Phone 3 is run by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, which is a flagship in its own right, but it is still a little behind the iPhone in performance.
Camera Capabilities
Improved Night Mode, Photographic Styles, and ProRAW support mark the iPhone 16. Yet, Nothing Phone 3 features a dual-camera system with 50 megapixels that performs well under low-light conditions. Slightly ahead of the iPhone in terms of video recording and stabilization is the iPhone.
Software and Updates
Both Apple iOS 18 and Nothing OS 3 promote clean and easy-to-use interfaces, yet software updates are guaranteed to be much longer for iPhone 16, while the Nothing Phone 3 mostly observes a basic 3-year update policy.
Price and Value for Money
Where Nothing Phone 3 excels the most has got to be price; it is priced at roughly half that of the iPhone 16. Worth knowing for the people who want a budget flagship.
Even though the Nothing Phone 3 does not squarely compete with the iPhone 16, it is carving out for itself a different experience and design. For someone intent on being distinct from Apple's ecosystem, the Nothing Phone 3 is a bona fide winner. However, in performance, camera output, and long-term software support, the iPhone 16 takes everything.
