Nothing
Nothing OS 3.0 Android 15 Open Beta Released for Phone (2a)
Carl Pei’s tech company Nothing has announced the launch of its latest software update, Nothing OS 3.0 Open Beta 1 for its Nothing Phone (2a). The new update is based on Android 15, gives users a chance to try out new features and improvements before the official release planned for December 2024. It comes with many enhancements, including better customisation options, new widgets, and camera upgrades.
Nothing has announced in a community post that this Nothing OS 3.0 beta will also be available soon for other devices, such as the Phone (2), Phone (1), Phone (2a) Plus, and CMF Phone (1), which are expected to receive the update by the end of the year.
Nothing OS 3.0 Open Beta Release Schedule
- Phone (2a): Available now
- Phone (2): November 2024
- Phone (1): December 2024
- Phone (2a) Plus: December 2024
- CMF Phone 1: December 2024
The update focuses heavily on customisation, especially for the home and lock screens. Users can now edit their lock screens by simply long-pressing the screen. The update also adds new clock faces, typefaces, and layouts to give users more options and personalise their devices.
One of the most standout features is the smart app drawer, powered by artificial intelligence (AI). This AI-powered tool arranges apps into categories based on how often they are used and lets users to pin their most-used apps to the top for quicker access.
The update also focuses on improving the camera experience and several improvements can be seen too. These include faster HDR processing reduced launch time through the camera widget better performance in low-light situations and a more user-friendly zoom slider. Multi-tasking is also smoother now with a feature that lets users move and resize pop-up windows which can be pinned to the screen’s edge for easy access.
Nothing has also redesigned the fingerprint animation sticking to its dot-matrix design. Another useful feature is the new auto-archiving tool, which helps free up storage space without deleting important data or apps.
Still, there are some missing features which we have seen earlier in the Nothing OS 3.0 announcement video such as Nothing Gallery app with AI features, new charging animation, shared widgets and private space. These all features will be added in upcoming updates.
How to participate in Nothing OS 3.0 Open Beta – Phone (2a):
- Make sure you’ve installed NOS version 2.6 with the build number Pacman-U2.6-240828_1906.
- Download and install the provided APK from your downloads.
- Go to Settings > System > Update to Beta version.
- Tap “Check for new version” and follow the instructions to begin.
The update size is 1.4 GB and it will take 10-15 minutes for the installation as you transition from Android 14 to Android 15 by installing Nothing OS 3.0 open beta on your device.
Edited by: Akash Ramsakha
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Nothing Phone and CMF users now have a new way to keep track of software updates. Nothing Firmware, an Android app developed by TechiBoy Studios, is now available on Google Play.
The app brings firmware update tracking, changelogs, Nothing OS OTA package downloads, and information on Nothing app updates into one place. It is designed for users who want to stay informed about the latest software releases for their devices.
What Is the Nothing Firmware App?
Nothing Firmware is an independent app built to help Nothing Phone and CMF users follow firmware releases without having to search across multiple sources.
Users can check available firmware updates, read changelogs to understand what’s changed, and download OTA packages through the app. It also tracks Nothing app updates and provides direct links to their Google Play listings.
Nothing Firmware App Features
The app includes several features designed to make software update tracking easier.
- Firmware tracking: Follow firmware releases for Nothing Phone and CMF devices.
- Detailed changelogs: Check update details and learn about new features, improvements, and bug fixes.
- OTA downloads: Download firmware packages with progress tracking.
- Update notifications: Receive alerts when new firmware releases are available.
- Nothing app updates: Track Nothing app releases and open their Google Play listings directly.
- Home screen widget: View the latest firmware information from the home screen.
- Custom alerts: Choose notification sounds and enable voice announcements for update alerts.
- Theme options: Switch between Auto, Light, and true-black Dark themes.
- Device information: Check device details, build numbers, and security patch information.
The app also includes a warning for firmware packages that do not match the detected device, helping users avoid selecting an incorrect package.
Is Nothing Firmware an Official Nothing App?
No. Nothing Firmware is an independent community project developed by TechiBoy Studios. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Nothing Technology Limited or CMF by Nothing.
How to Download Nothing Firmware
Nothing Firmware is available on Google Play. Users can download it to keep track of firmware updates, read changelogs, and follow Nothing app releases.
Download: Nothing Firmware on Google Play
If you’re already running an incremental build of Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta, you can’t directly roll back to the stable version through a regular incremental OTA update. Nothing Firmware currently provides stable incremental updates only. Once Nothing releases the Nothing OS 5.0 stable update for your device, it will appear in the app when available. Until then, you may need to follow Nothing’s official rollback instructions if you want to return to a stable build.
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Nothing has teased another Pokémon on its official X account and Nothing Community, hinting that a new product could be on the way. This time, the company has shared Kingdra, Pokémon #230 in the National Pokédex.
Kingdra is a Water/Dragon-type Pokémon introduced in Generation II. The teaser features the Pokémon alongside a cryptic description about sleeping deep on the ocean floor to build energy and causing tornadoes when it wakes up.
What Could Nothing Be Launching Next?
Nothing has not revealed which product the new Pokémon teaser refers to. However, the company has previously used Pokémon-themed teasers to build anticipation for upcoming devices, making this latest post worth watching.
An audio product, such as new Nothing Ear earbuds or headphones, could be one possibility. A new smartphone or another product category cannot be ruled out either.
For now, the product name, specifications, pricing and launch date remain unknown. More details may emerge through future teasers from the company.
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Nothing has started rolling out the Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta update for the Nothing Phone (2a) and Phone (2a) Plus, bringing Android 17 along with a refreshed user interface, new customisation options, camera improvements and several other features. The update started rolling out on October 21, 2026, with a reported download size of 3.14GB.
One of the biggest surprises in this update is the addition of the translucent theme and Micrographics clock face, giving users more ways to personalise their devices.
Nothing OS 5.0 Brings Translucent Theme and Micrographics Clock
The Nothing Phone (2a) and Phone (2a) Plus receives the new translucent theme as part of the Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta. The updated design introduces translucent elements and wallpaper-inspired accent colours, offering a refreshed look across the interface.
The update also brings the Micrographics clock face, along with additional lock screen customisation options, including the ability to change the clock colour and choose a new clock design.
Other New Features in Nothing OS 5.0
Apart from the visual changes, the update introduces several new features and improvements:
- Separate Quick Settings and Notifications: Users can enable a split layout for easier access to notifications and system controls.
- New Glyph app: A dedicated app provides quicker access to Glyph Interface features.
- Home screen improvements: Users can arrange multiple app icons at once.
- New status indicators: Three-colour indicators show sensitive access, location and AI processing activity.
- New widgets: Collector, Away Time and Glyph Timer widgets expand home screen functionality.
- Updated system design: The Geist typeface, refreshed Settings interface and redesigned status bar icons improve the overall appearance.
- Smoother animations: Updated transitions improve the experience across widgets and recent tasks.
Camera Improvements
Nothing OS 5.0 brings several camera enhancements to the Nothing Phone (2a). These include Tuning with seven adjustable effects and a reset option, improved Presets editing, richer preset cards and Playground integration.
The update also introduces a new 2×2 camera widget and support for Filters and Tuning during video creation. Other improvements include video recording, zoom, close-up shooting, QR scanning, Google Lens and Motion Photo playback, alongside refinements to the camera interface, controls and animations.
Dark Theme, HDR and Other Improvements
The update expands Dark Theme support to many apps that do not offer a native dark mode. Users can also customise Enhanced HDR Brightness to adjust the intensity of HDR content.
Depth wallpapers now support pinch-to-shrink, while Live Updates receive an improved status bar experience. The update also adds Noto 3D Emoji support in Gboard, improves lock screen shortcut interactions and enables one-tap Bluetooth connection or disconnection through Quick Settings.
Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta: How to Update
Nothing Phone (2a) and Phoen (2a) Plus users can check for the update through the software update section in Settings. The rollout is happening in stages, so it may take some time to appear on all eligible devices.
As this is a beta release, users should back up their important data before installing it. Beta software may contain bugs and could temporarily cause increased battery consumption or heating.
What do you think of the new Nothing OS 5.0 design? Let us know in the comments.
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