Nothing Phone 3 Price Crash: Fans Cry Betrayal After ₹40,000 Drop in Just 3 Months

The Nothing Phone 3 has gone from hype to heartbreak in record time. What was supposed to be Carl Pei’s bold flagship move has turned into a pricing fiasco that’s left early adopters furious. A phone that launched in India at ₹79,999 in July is now selling for nearly half the price—and loyal fans who trusted the brand feel cheated.

The Price Drop Timeline

• May 2025: Carl Pei announces global pricing of £800 (~₹90,000)
• July 1, 2025: India launch at ₹79,999
• August 2025: Pei promises no discounts to protect early buyers
• Sept 23, 2025: Flipkart BBD sale promotes ₹34,999* (*only with multiple conditions)
• Sept 23, 2025: Actual base price drops to ₹59,999
• Oct 1, 2025: Permanent price falls to ₹37,999-₹39,999 with bank offers

In just three months, the Nothing Phone 3 has lost ₹40,000 in value—a nightmare for those who bought it at launch.

The Broken Promise

Carl Pei had publicly reassured fans that discounting would betray early buyers. He claimed pre-orders were strong and insisted there was no need for price cuts. That promise lasted barely two months.

The Flipkart Big Billion Days campaign made things worse. The phone was splashed across ads with a headline price of ₹34,999—but that number was only achievable with a complicated mix of bank discounts, exchange offers, and legacy device trade-ins. Many customers discovered the fine print only at checkout.

Now, with the phone permanently at ₹39,999, early adopters who traded in their older Nothing devices at launch for ₹36,000 are left with an even bigger loss—both their old phone and ₹6,000 more in value gone within weeks.

Why Fans Feel Betrayed

Nothing built its reputation on transparency, community, and trust. Carl Pei styled himself as the anti-corporate CEO who listened to fans and rejected shady industry tactics. This fiasco has shattered that image.

For many, the pain isn’t just financial—it’s emotional. Early adopters weren’t casual buyers; they were evangelists who backed a new brand against giants like Samsung and OnePlus. They believed in Pei’s vision, only to watch their loyalty crash harder than crypto.

The irony? Just months ago, Pei said: “We need to build a trusted brand.” Today, those words feel more like a punchline.

The Bigger Problem: A Credibility Crisis

The fallout is bigger than one phone. Why would anyone pre-order a Nothing Phone 4 when waiting a few months guarantees massive discounts? Instead of building trust, the brand may have trained its customers to never buy at launch.

This isn’t about market competition—it’s about explicit promises broken for short-term sales. For a young company, the damage to credibility could last much longer than the discounts.

What Early Buyers Deserve

At minimum, frustrated customers want acknowledgment—and many say compensation or store credit should be on the table. An apology might not cost the company anything, but for buyers who lost ₹40,000 of value in three months, it could help salvage trust.

FAQs

Should early Nothing Phone 3 buyers demand compensation?
Yes. Many believe some form of credit or official acknowledgment is fair, given the massive and sudden price drop.

Will the Nothing Phone 4 face the same fate?
If this trend continues, waiting 2–3 months after launch seems far smarter than pre-ordering.

👉 Bottom line: The Nothing Phone 3 may still be a solid device, but its biggest feature now is a warning—never trust launch pricing again.