Nothing has released a new Nothing OS 3.1 update for its latest smartphones, the Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro. The update comes with the build number Asteroids-V3.1-250417-1222-IND and is around 115 MB in size. It brings several new features, camera improvements, and overall system enhancements.

New Features Introduced

One of the major highlights of this update is support for 4K video recording using the telephoto camera. This will help users capture videos with sharper details.

Another big feature is Private Space, a new secure zone that can be accessed by swiping right in the app drawer. It allows users to keep private apps and data safely tucked away. To make it even more secure, users can now set separate passwords for App Locker and Private Space.

The update also adds a Hotspot Manager feature, which shows all the connected devices and lets users manage them easily.

Camera Improvements

The camera system has received some great enhancements. Selfies are now clearer with improved face details and more natural skin tones. Photos taken at night, especially under streetlights, now have better image quality.

Users can now apply filters to 50MP high-resolution images, which adds more flexibility while editing. The telephoto camera also performs better in low-light conditions, with improved brightness and reduced flickering.

System and Security Enhancements

This update includes the April 2025 Android security patch, which brings important security fixes to keep your device safe from potential threats. Along with that, general bug fixes and system stability improvements have been made to enhance the overall user experience.

Essential Space App Update

Along with the system update, the Essential Space app has also received an update through the Google Play Store. The new version allows users to edit reminders, provides faster analysis, and improves app stability. Users are advised to check the Play Store and update the app to enjoy these new changes.

After using the Nothing Phone 3a Pro for over 25 days, here’s my full and honest review. From design and display to camera and performance, I’ll cover everything that will help you decide whether this phone is right for you.

🔍 Design & Build Quality

The design is eye-catching and premium, especially in the grey color variant. Many people asked me about this phone when I used it in public – it’s definitely a conversation starter. The camera bump has a unique circular layout, and the Glyph lights now follow a new circular design too.

While the back is made of glass, the sides are plastic, so don’t expect a full premium metal build, but inside the mid-frame is made up of aluminum, so it can’t break in half. Still, the overall feel is solid. Just note that the camera bump makes the phone wobble when placed on a flat surface.

👍 Pros: Stylish, unique design, good grip
👎 Cons: Plastic frame, camera bump wobble

📦 Unboxing Experience

The phone doesn’t come with a charger – only a Type-C to Type-C cable, SIM ejector tool, and basic documents. Packaging has improved with easier access and better presentation.

👍 Nice packaging
👎 No charger in the box

📺 Display

The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro has a 6.77-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate. The bezels are slightly thick but uniform. It gets bright up to 3000 nits (peak), so outdoor visibility is quite good. Watching content on YouTube or JioCinema is smooth, and HDR support is present (except for Netflix).

👍 Sharp and bright display, smooth experience
👎 Thick bezels, Netflix HDR not supported

⚙️ Software Experience (Nothing OS 3.1)

The phone runs on Nothing OS 3.1, which is very close to stock Android. There’s no bloatware, and the experience is clean and smooth. New features include:

• Essential Key: A dedicated button for quick notes, voice memos, or reminders
• Custom widgets, new lock screen styles, and ChatGPT integration
• Nothing Gallery with AI search features (though editing tools are still missing)

👍 Smooth UI, stock-like feel, frequent updates
👎 Essential Key still needs improvements, gallery editing missing

🔋 Battery Life & Charging

You get a 5000mAh battery with 50W fast charging (charger not included). On average:

• Normal use: 8–9 hours of screen-on time (it can go above 10 hrs as well in some cases)
• Heavy use (gaming/photos): 5–6 hours
• Charging time: Around 1 hour 10–20 minutes with an original charger

👍 Good battery life and decent charging speed
👎 No wireless charging, charger not included

⚡ Performance

Powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 and UFS 2.2 storage, the phone handles everyday tasks well. My unit had 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.

• Benchmark scores were solid (Antutu: ~759K).
• Gaming like BGMI at 90fps and 120fps is smooth in TDM, but drops can occur in classic matches.
• There is some lag in camera app or multitasking, mainly due to UFS 2.2 limitations.

👍 Smooth multitasking, consistent updates
👎 Occasional lag in camera and heavy apps

📷 Camera – Highlight Feature!

This phone shines in the camera department with a triple camera setup:

• 50MP main sensor
• 50MP 3X periscope zoom camera
• 8MP ultra-wide

The new camera app also supports camera LUTs (filters), manual controls, and importing presets.

Photos are sharp, detailed, and especially great in 3X zoom and macro shots. Low-light and night photography is also very good for the price.

Video options:

• Rear: Up to 4K 30fps, but 3X periscope zoom only works in 1080p 30fps
• Front: 50MP, supports 4K 30fps

👍 Outstanding photo quality, especially zoom and macros
👎 Periscope zoom not available in 4K video yet, no new watermark options

🧠 Final Verdict

After using the Nothing Phone 3a Pro for almost a month, I can confidently say it offers great value for users looking for:

• A stylish and futuristic design
• Clean software with regular updates
• A very good zoom camera and overall photography experience
• Decent performance and battery life

🔻 But keep in mind:

• No charger in the box
• Slight lag in camera app
• Premium pricing might feel high without discounts

If design and camera are your top priorities, and you don’t mind minor performance trade-offs, the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is definitely worth considering!

Nothing has released the April 2025 update for the CMF Phone 1, bringing several improvements and bug fixes under Nothing OS 3.0. This update is similar to the one received by the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus but includes a few minor differences.

How to Update

Nothing didn’t send any notification about this update, so users will need to check manually.

To do this, go to:
Settings > System > System Update > Check for Update

The update is 203 MB in size and takes around 12 minutes to install. After updating, the software version remains Nothing OS 3.0, but the build number is now Tetris-V3.0-250409-1734.

• Android Security Patch: 1st April 2025
• Google Play System Update: 1st March 2025

Nothing Gallery Mentioned, But Still Not Default

The update notes mention “Introducing Nothing Gallery,” but the app has not been set as the default gallery. Even after disabling Google Photos, the system still doesn’t open Nothing Gallery by default, just like on the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus.

However, the gallery has recently been updated via the Play Store, adding a search bar with categories like Nature, Transport, and Human, but that change is unrelated to this system update.

Long Press to Clear All Recent Apps

A feature to quickly clear recent apps is mentioned again. Now, you can long press in the recent apps menu and swipe up to clear all apps at once.

This feature was already available through an earlier update to the Nothing Launcher, but it’s now officially included in the system.

Unlock Vibration Now Follows Touch Feedback Setting

Before this update, the phone gave vibration feedback during unlocking, even if Touch Feedback was turned off. This issue is now fixed.

You can find the option in:
Settings > Sound & Vibration > Vibration > Touch Feedback

Now, if Touch Feedback is disabled, there will be no vibration when unlocking the phone with the fingerprint sensor.

Improved Pop-Up View Design

The pop-up view design has been slightly optimized.
Buttons like minimize and close are placed more clearly, and the navigation bar has returned in the pop-up mode.
You can also resize and reposition the pop-up window more easily now. These improvements are minor but help enhance usability.

Fixed Slow Data Network Switching

In rare cases, switching between mobile data networks on dual SIM phones was slow.
This issue has now been fixed, although most users may not have noticed the problem earlier.

Lock Screen Widget Transfer Support

A new feature allows lock screen widgets to be transferred when moving your data to another Nothing device, like the upcoming Nothing Phone 3. This makes switching to a new phone smoother and keeps your lock screen settings intact.

Emergency Dialing Bug Fixed

In some rare cases, emergency dialing didn’t work correctly.
Nothing has now fixed this issue, although most users may not have experienced it.

System Stability and Performance

The update also includes general system stability improvements.
While some users noticed minor lags right after the update, the phone returns to normal performance after a short time. Further testing using benchmark apps may give a clearer picture of performance changes.

Final Thoughts

The April update for the CMF Phone 1 brings several small but important improvements. While Nothing Gallery is still not the default app, other updates like the unlock vibration fix, pop-up view design, and data network switching fix make the phone more reliable.

If you own the CMF Phone 1, this update is worth installing for a smoother and more stable experience.