Nothing
Nothing OS 3.0 Officially Announced: Top Features You Need to Know
The closed beta phase of the past few weeks has built up to the eventual release of Nothing OS 3.0, announced through the launch of Nothing Ear (open), a massive moment for the company. Carl Pei and his team from Nothing company had been giving hints regarding their latest operating system update over the past few months.
Nothing OS 3.0 Features
The new Nothing OS 3.0 based on Android 15 has several enhancements in design to user experience as follows:
Better Typography and Animations:
These features allow a more well-defined setting for the N-dot font that looks cleaner and far more readable.
A new animation engine brings high-class dot matrix effects to the user interface, more noticeably on the lock screen and weather app.
Lock Screen Customization
Now, users can personalize their lock screens more than ever by switching between different types of clocks or choose to hide the clock and have widgets instead. The most important change here is a stretched analog face for clocks, which will definitely have a novel aesthetic feel.
Redesigned Quick Settings:
Complete personalization of icons, including their size, akin to homescreen widgets, along with an auto-brightness toggle within the brightness slider.
App Drawer Enhancements
App drawer contains features that permit the user to pin the applications they most frequently use to be placed at the top for quicker access. To the user who seeks an interface as organized as possible, there is also Smart Drawer, which organizes the apps automatically.
New Widgets and Sharing Features
There’s a new countdown timer widget- quite great for tracking real-time events. The widgets are something that can be shared with friends and personalized using stickers before sending. The functionality is unknown whether this functionality comes exclusively with Nothing or will be extending to other platforms as well.
Nothing Gallery App with AI Features
- Elimination of Processing delay by 25% by Optimizing Nothing Gallery.
- Using AI, the app can now detect the important moments on images and will automatically retouch it so the subjects in their photographs will stand out.
- Other features that come with the AI Upscaling and Super Resolution, just like Pixel 9 Zoom to Enhance that zooms out details through AI.
- Release Schedule and Future Prospects
Nothing OS 3.0 Release Date
Carl Pei has announced that the open beta for Nothing OS 3.0 will begin in October, while the public release will be in December. Although no dates were provided, the scheduled launch will be at about the time of Android 15, so its release date will coincide to allow sufficient testing before market release.
More than this, however, was merely a teaser of the Nothing Phone (3) that could be shown off during the presentation-a testament to future hardware releases.
Nothing has released a new update for its Nothing Gallery app, bringing some useful changes and a major upgrade in video editing tools. The new update, version 2.3, is now rolling out to users through the Play Store.
1. Upgraded Video Editing Tools
The highlight of this update is the new and improved video editing features. Users can now fine-tune colors, apply filters, rotate and crop videos, and adjust exposure, contrast, saturation, shadows, and more — all directly within the Nothing Gallery app. These tools work much like the existing photo editor, making video editing more powerful and flexible. HDR formats are also supported.
2. Updated Dialog Style
Nothing has also refreshed the Nothing OS-style dialogs inside the app. The new dialog boxes now match the design language of Nothing OS 4.0, giving the app a more modern and refined look.
3. Small But Useful Changes
While the overall layout and UI remain mostly the same, users will notice smoother transitions and improved visual consistency. However, there are no AI-based editing tools yet — those may arrive in a future Nothing OS 4.0 stable release.
How to Get the Update
The update size is around 1.78 MB, and users can download it directly from the Google Play Store. If you’re using a Nothing Phone, updating to version 2.3 will enable the new editing features automatically.
This Diwali, I received a big surprise from Nothing India, a beautiful gift box that I wasn’t expecting at all.
It all started when I got a delivery call while I was half asleep. I hadn’t ordered anything, but when I checked the package, it said “From Nothing.” That instantly caught my attention.
When I opened the black box, the design itself felt premium and minimal, just like Nothing’s style. Inside, I found a card that said “Wishing you a Bright and Joyful Diwali,” signed by Akis Evangelidis, Co-founder and President of Nothing India. That already made my day.
Inside the box, there were some amazing surprises:
- A pack of Nothing themed chocolates
- A Nothing Diya One, a stylish lamp with a charging cable and magnetic base
- A deck of Nothing branded playing cards, which looked super cool and well designed
The whole presentation felt very thoughtful and creative. I really loved how Nothing added a personal festive touch for its community members this year.
Thank you Nothing India for sending this exciting and meaningful gift.
Wishing everyone a Happy Diwali filled with light, happiness, and surprises!
Nothing
Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta Released: New AI Features, Design Changes, and Android 16 Enhancements
Nothing has started rolling out the Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta update for its smartphones. The update is now available not only for the latest Nothing Phone (3) but also for Nothing Phone (2), Phone (2a), and Phone (2a) Plus. This is a major software release, built on Android 16, and comes with several new features, design tweaks, and performance improvements.
The update size is about 2.65 GB for Phone (3), and since this is an open beta, users are advised to take a backup before installing. The beta program will remain open until October 14, 2025, after which the stable release is expected in November or December.
How to Join & install Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta
Follow these steps to install the Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta on your device:
Check Your Software Version
Make sure your device is on the latest stable build. Go to Settings → About phone → Banner and confirm you have one of the following versions installed:
Phone (3): Metroid-V3.5-250911-2112
Phone (2): Pong-V3.2-250917-1451
Phone (2a): Pacman-V3.2-250904-1648
Phone (2a) Plus: PacmanPro-V3.2-250904-1704
Download the Beta Updates Hub
Download the Beta Updates Hub APK from the official Nothing Community.
Install it from your Downloads folder.
Join the Beta Program
Go to Settings → System → Nothing Beta Hub.
Tap Join Beta to sign up.
After successful registration, tap Go to Update to upgrade.
Update to Nothing OS 4.0
If the update does not appear immediately, go to:
Settings → System → System updates → Check for updates.
You should then see the Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta update available for download.
Key Features and Changes in Nothing OS 4.0
1. App Optimization
A new App Optimization feature automatically improves app startup speed and background performance. When enabled, the phone optimizes installed apps one by one. While this process may slightly heat up the device, it ensures smoother app launches.
2. New Pop-Up View for Multitasking
The pop-up view now supports two floating app icons, making it easier to switch between minimized apps. For example, users can quickly toggle between Twitter and Spotify with simple swipes.
3. Lock Screen Customization
Two new clock styles have been added to the lock screen. One is bold and clear, while the other uses a thinner font. This expands customization beyond the previous six clock faces.
4. Quick Settings Improvements
Quick Settings tiles now support a 2×2 square format, allowing larger tiles for easier access.
Other improvements include:
- New animations when toggling flashlight or Glyph Torch.
- Redesigned disable icons with red highlights.
- Swipe up/down to switch Bluetooth devices instead of left/right swipes.
- A direct Share button for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, making QR sharing faster.
5. Extra Dark Mode
An Extra Dark Mode option is now available, providing deeper black shades for OLED screens. This is especially visible in system menus and About Phone pages. However, it is not fully implemented across all areas, such as Quick Settings.
6. AI Usage Dashboard
Nothing has added an AI Usage Dashboard inside the Intelligence Toolkit. It shows how often AI tools are used, including Essential Apps and Gemini integration.
- Currently, this feature is mainly supported on Phone (3) and upcoming Phone (3a) series.
- It displays usage statistics by day or week, along with model details.
7. Camera Improvements
- New Camera Preset: A “Stretch” filter created in collaboration with photographer Jordan Hemingway has been added.
- Users can also import or create custom presets for unique photo styles.
- General camera stability has been improved for smoother shooting.
8. Essential Apps and Playground
One of the biggest highlights is Nothing Playground, a platform where users can:
- Create their own Essential Apps (widgets).
- Use community-created widgets like calculators, clocks, or even fun tools like Tic-Tac-Toe.
- Explore Camera Presets, Glyph Toys, and EQ Profiles made by other users.
This makes customization more powerful, giving every Nothing user a chance to add unique tools to their phone.
General System Improvements
Apart from new features, the update also brings:
- Always-On Display optimizations
- Better screen brightness control in different scenarios
- Enhanced Bluetooth stability and compatibility
- Improved Wi-Fi connectivity
- System stability and performance boosts
Benchmark results show smoother performance, though major visual changes are limited.
Availability for Other Devices
Currently, the update is live for Phone (3), Phone (2), Phone (2a), and Phone (2a) Plus. The Phone (3a) and 3a Pro series will receive their open beta in October 2025 with additional exciting features.
Should You Update?
The Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta brings several useful features like app optimization, AI tools, lock screen customization, and dark mode improvements. However, it is not a massive redesign. Features like blur effects or major animation upgrades are still missing.
For regular users, it’s better to wait for the stable release. But if you enjoy testing new software and don’t mind small bugs, the beta version is worth trying.
This update shows that Nothing is focusing on AI, customization, and community-driven features, making their phones stand out in the Android ecosystem.