Nothing has officially announced the Closed Beta program for its upcoming operating system update — Nothing OS 4.0, based on Android 16. This early build is now available exclusively for Phone (3) users who want to test the latest features before the official rollout. The company is offering this early access as a way to thank its early supporters.

In this Closed Beta, Nothing is focusing on bringing Android 16’s core features along with a stronger and more consistent design system. The new UI changes are expected to lay the foundation for a more polished and cohesive user experience in the future versions of Nothing OS.

Since this is a beta version, users can expect bugs and certain features not working properly. Nothing encourages users to join this program and help them identify and fix issues before the Open Beta release in September 2025. It’s a chance for users to be part of the development process and shape the final software.

To be eligible, participants must use the Phone (3) as their daily device. They should also be willing to provide regular feedback to the Nothing team, maintain information security, and understand that this early build may be unstable. Testing is expected to run from August 2025 to early September.

Nothing also warns users that this Android 16 build is in its early stages of development. Some features may be missing or not function properly. It is strongly recommended to back up your device regularly while testing. More details and disclaimers can be found in the sign-up form.

If you’re interested in joining, you need to fill out the form linked below before 5 PM BST on Sunday, August 3, 2025. Selected users will be informed via email within a week, along with complete onboarding instructions.

Phone (3) Android 16 Closed Beta Sign-Up Form

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The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to arrive with Qualcomm’s next flagship chip—the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2—according to leaked firmware files. It will also ship with One UI 8.5 based on Android 16 right out of the box.

This lines up with a recent report from tipster Ice Universe which highlighted Samsung’s new strategy. Under this approach foldable phones receive the newest One UI version first and then it gets refined for the Galaxy S series.

The leaked firmware was found on Samsung’s own server suggesting the company is already testing One UI 8.5 for the S26 lineup.

The firmware includes the serial number PMK8850 which likely belongs to Snapdragon’s next-gen chip. For comparison the Galaxy S25 Ultra used the Snapdragon 8 Elite which had the 8750 serial number. So it’s quite likely that the S26 Ultra will continue using Qualcomm’s top-tier chipset.

However not all models in the Galaxy S26 series may use Snapdragon. The regular Galaxy S26 and S26+ are expected to feature Samsung’s own Exynos 2600 processor. This chip is said to offer strong CPU and GPU performance. Another report claims that Samsung has also found a way to improve the Exynos 2600’s cooling which could make it more reliable.

A new video has surfaced online showing the iPhone 17 Pro in multiple colors. These are not real working phones but dummy units which means they are empty inside but still give us a good idea of how the final product will look.

The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to be officially launched in September along with the rest of the iPhone 17 series. The launch date could be September 8 or possibly the 9th or 10th.

One of the biggest changes seen in the dummy models is on the back of the phone. The new design includes a large camera island that stretches almost across the entire width of the phone. This style is similar to Poco phones from around two years ago.

While the cameras remain in the same positions as before they are now part of a much larger design area giving the phone a new and bold look.

Fans will have to wait a bit longer to see the real thing but these dummy units give a good early look at what’s coming next from Apple.