Nothing
Nothing’s October: New Earbuds, Major OS Update, and Community Edition Phone Announcement
October 2024 – This month, Nothing has launched the highly anticipated Ear (open), its first open wearable stereo (OWS) earbuds, alongside announcing Nothing OS 3.0, setting new standards in user experience. Additionally, the company is gearing up for the launch of the Phone (2a) Community Edition, scheduled for October 30th.
The newly released Ear (open) earbuds are designed to deliver a superior audio experience while ensuring users remain aware of their surroundings. Featuring Nothing’s innovative Open Sound Technology, the earbuds allow users to stay connected to the environment, whether it’s the subtle chirping of birds or the bustling noise of city life, without compromising on sound quality.
Nothing OS 3.0 brings new improvements and features, in software developments, including refined typography, advanced dot matrix animations, and a more customizable lock screen. The OS update also boasts a revamped Quick Settings, an AI-powered Smart Drawer for better app management, and a new Nothing Gallery app to improve photo processing speeds with AI-driven features.
Looking forward, Nothing has announced the Community Edition of Phone (2a) will be unveiled on October 30th. This unique initiative is part of Nothing’s co-creation project, which involves the community in the design and development process of the smartphone. The project highlights collaboration on various aspects such as hardware, wallpaper design, and marketing strategies.
In community news, notable contributions include the launch of Nothing Ear (web) by community member @RapidZapper, a web-based application that allows comprehensive control of Nothing devices through chromium-based browsers. Another community member, @chris._.sin, introduced the Better Glyph Composer, a web-based tool that enables users to create custom Glyph patterns and animations, further personalizing user experience with Nothing devices.
Nothing is also introducing the ‘Nothing Library’ this month, sharing recommendations from team members to inspire the community. Highlights include “The Leviathan” recommended by the Soho Store Manager, and “Black Box,” a podcast about AI from the Guardian, recommended by the CMF Design Lead.
With these exciting developments, Nothing continues to innovate and engage its community, promising an enhanced and more interactive tech experience.
I tested Nothing’s Essential Space on the Nothing Phone (3) and OnePlus Mind Space on the OnePlus 11. Both look similar on the surface, but the way they work feels very different. Let’s break it down.
Nothing Essential Space has a dedicated Essential Key button. Just double press, and the app opens instantly. From there, you can create summaries, reminders, or even voice notes. Everything is simple and fast.
OnePlus Mind Space works with a three-finger swipe gesture. It opens smoothly and also creates summaries and reminders, but you need to do more manual steps compared to Nothing.
The big win for Essential Space is that it syncs directly with Google Calendar. Add a reminder once, and it’s already there. You can even record voice notes or use the camera app to analyze photos and auto-generate descriptions.
Mind Space, on the other hand, shines with app-wise sorting. For example, it can organize summaries by WhatsApp, Chrome, or Twitter, which is quite useful. But adding reminders is manual, and sharing options are limited.
Nothing also adds cool exclusive features like Flip-to-Record, where you just flip the phone, hold the key, and it records with Glyph animations. Later, the AI auto-summarizes your entire meeting or talk into English text. Super handy!
Sharing is also easier on Nothing. You can export your notes as an image, PDF, or Markdown and send them anywhere. On OnePlus, you only get the delete option, which feels basic.
Overall, Nothing Essential Space feels more polished and feature-rich, while OnePlus Mind Space is still catching up. The app-wise sorting on OnePlus is neat, but Nothing’s extra features make it the better option for now.
Also did a video for this. You can give it a watch on YouTube:
The CMF Phone 1 has started receiving the August Nothing OS 3.2 update. This update comes with version V3.2-250723-1800 and is sized at 252 MB. It brings new widget features, bug fixes, and several performance improvements.
One of the main highlights is the improvement to widgets. Shared widgets now support more sticker types, making them more fun and customisable. The Countdown widget has received a new Recurring option along with additional shape choices. This means you can set countdowns to repeat automatically. The Pedometer and Screentime widgets can now also be shared, adding more ways to interact and share information.
In the general improvements section, Nothing has added the option to set the Nothing Gallery as the default for previewing photos in Camera settings. The camera itself has also received stability enhancements for a smoother experience. Bluetooth call issues in Telegram, which affected some watches and earbuds, have been fixed.
The update also resolves font display issues in apps like Instagram, Subito, and a few others. On the security side, the August 2025 security patch has been included, ensuring better device protection. Finally, overall system stability has been improved, and performance has been optimised for a smoother user experience.
The August Nothing OS 3.2 update is rolling out gradually, so CMF Phone 1 users may receive it at different times depending on their region.
Nothing has released the August update for the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus, bringing Nothing OS 3.2 with several new improvements and fixes. The update is 259 MB in size and comes with the build number V3.2-250731-1640. It focuses on enhancing the camera experience, fixing bugs, and improving system stability, along with the latest Android security patch.
One of the major changes in this update is in the Camera app. Users can now choose a default album for preview images in the settings, making photo organization more convenient. The update also improves overall camera stability, ensuring smoother performance when taking pictures and recording videos.
Apart from camera enhancements, the update also addresses some important issues. It fixes a problem that caused rapid battery drain when certain smartwatches were connected to the phone. Additionally, it resolves Bluetooth call issues in Telegram when paired with some watches and earbuds.
There are also fixes for text display problems in apps like Instagram, Subito, and others when using the Inter font. Lastly, the update includes the August 2025 Android security patch, which improves the phone’s security and protects it against the latest threats.
With these improvements, the Nothing OS 3.2 August update aims to deliver a smoother and more reliable experience for Nothing Phone (2a) Plus users.