Nothing has come under scrutiny after being accused of showcasing fake camera samples for its upcoming Nothing Phone (3). The controversy has raised questions about misleading advertising in the smartphone industry, which has seen similar instances in the past.

Brands have previously faced backlash for such practices—Nokia once used simulated footage to promote video stabilisation on the Lumia 920, while Samsung was criticised for allegedly enhancing images of the moon with AI. Now, Nothing joins the list after being caught presenting photos that were not actually taken with the Nothing Phone (3).

How the issue emerged

The matter first surfaced when a screen recording—believed to be from a retail demo unit in New Zealand—circulated online. The demo showcased five high-quality photos under the tagline, “Here’s what our community has captured with the Phone (3),” alongside the hashtag #WithNothing. The display implied that the images had been shot using the new device, potentially misleading customers browsing the demo unit in-store.

Stock photos in place of real samples

According to a report by Android Authority, one of the photographers whose work was featured anonymously contacted them, revealing that all five showcased images were, in fact, available on the stock photo platform Stills. These included shots of a staircase, a window, a glass, a car headlight, and a portrait of a woman.

When Android Authority followed up with the photographers, one of them, Roman Fox, confirmed that the car headlight image was his work. Fox stated he had captured it in Paris back in 2023 using a Fujifilm XH2s camera—well before the Nothing Phone 3 was even announced. He further pointed out that the photo was publicly shared on his Instagram on 22 June 2024, confirming it could not have been taken with the smartphone.