It’s been awhile since we saw reports of phone makers faking their sample images. The last one in recent memory was all the way back in 2019, and now, we reset the timer back to zero. This is because Nothing has been caught using stock photos as sample images in in-store demo units of the Phone (3).
Android Authority reports that the controversy started from a screen recording, believed to be a retail demo unit of the Nothing Phone (3) in New Zealand. In said recording was a collection of five images that was claimed to be taken by the “community” using the Phone (3). As it turns out these were all taken from stock photo marketplace Stills.
Worst of all, when the outlet reached out to the photographers, one of them responded. The photographer said he took their shot using a Fujifilm XH2s back in 2023. You can see the photo for yourself on his Instagram page. He was ultimately paid using via the Stills marketplace, it doesn’t change the look of Nothing misleading potential customers.
Since then, Nothing co-founder Akis Evangelidis has taken to X to explain the blunder. Per his account, the company used stock photos as placeholders in the live demo units (LDU) four months before launch. Once the company mass produced the Phone (3), it intended to replace these stock photos with actual sample images. Evidently, some of these LDUs were not updated to show the new image set.
On one hand, Evangelidis says that “this was an unfortunate oversight” that the company will ensure it does not repeat. But on the other, he also says ” for those who experienced the LDUs in-store, I trust they were able to test the camera themselves on the spot”. This is probably meant as a defence of the Phone (3)’s camera performance. Whether the defensiveness is helping his case remains to be seen.
One reply to Evangelidis’ post notes that the company should have used real sample images from prior phones instead. The exec said that used to be what the company did, but stopped short of explaining what changed. At this point, make of the whole situation what you will.
(Source: Android Authority [1], [2], Stills [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], snapsbyfox / Instagram, Akis Evangelidis / X)
