Nothing
Nothing OS 3.0: New Lock Screen, Quick Settings Panel, Release Date, and More
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Nothing OS has evolved from just any other Android UI to one of the most unique and feature-rich interfaces currently found in the smartphone space. Backed by the runaway success of Nothing OS 2.5 in 2023, there has been much anticipation for Nothing OS 3.0, due later this year.
Nothing OS 3.0 Release Date and Expectations
Nothing OS 2.5 was released in December, which means two months after the stable rollout of Android 14. With Google launching Android 15 with its Pixel 9 series this August, expectations are that Nothing OS 3.0 will follow this October if the previous schedule holds.
In May, Nothing released the Android 15 Developer Preview Beta 1 for the Phone (2) and (2a). Very soon, the updates for the next beta version will be known. Nothing is notorious for their really fast adoption of new Android updates; however, with such massive UI changes and additions of many features, testing periods could get longer.
Device Compatibility
All the Nothing devices launched till now are eligible for three years of major updates, except the CMF Phone 1 that will have two. Essentially, this means all existing Nothing phones will get Nothing OS 3.0 support. Here’s the update list:
- Nothing Phone (2a) Plus
- Nothing Phone (2a)
- Nothing Phone (2)
- Nothing Phone (1)
- CMF Phone 1
Nothing Phone (2a) and (2a) Plus are the newest devices; it is going to reach them first, probably in the September or October month, before reaching other models.
Nothing OS 3.0 Expected Features
1. New Lock Screen Customization:
New clock styles and customizations for widgets are coming. The users can now make the clock face small to see more notifications. This update features mid-aligned clocks with various design elements, somewhat similar to how Apple does its lock screen.
2. Revamped Quick Settings Panel
Nothing OS 3.0 will pack a long-delayed refresh to the Quick Settings panel that’s finally coming. In this new design, tiles would appear smaller and more discreet, turning red when toggled on, further improving the look of the interface and sticking way closer to Nothing’s aesthetic language.
3. Interactive Dot Animations:
Not much information is available about the above-mentioned animations, but they can be used to add a bit of life and interaction to app icons and widgets. For instance, a widget that adjusts the screen brightness could implement some sort of animation that will demonstrate, in an eye-pleasing way, precisely by how much the brightness has changed.
4. Community and Gallery Apps:
Nothing is building standalone apps for its community and gallery and move away from purely Web-based interfaces to far more unified mobile experiences.
5. Private Space:
Another massive feature of Android 15 that might make its way onto Nothing OS 3.0 is Private Space. This feature enables the hiding of apps, locking, and even cloning of apps for better privacy and convenience. Carl Pei also asked about these features being added to Nothing OS for its followers on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Nothing also recently announced the Android 15 closed beta program for Nothing Phone (2a). It will be based on Nothing OS 3.0 with new features and improvements. What are some of the features you’d like to see in the UI? Let us know in the comments.
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Nothing has announced special pricing and promotional offers for the Nothing Phone (4a), Phone (4a) Pro and Phone (4b) as part of the Flipkart Big Billion Days sale. The offers include price drops, bank discounts, coupons and exchange bonuses on selected variants.
Here’s a complete breakdown of the offers.
Nothing Phone (4a) Offers
The Nothing Phone (4a) gets a ₹3,000 price drop on the 6GB + 128GB variant. With the applicable bank offer, coupon and exchange benefits, the effective price comes down to ₹32,999.
| Variant | Offer Price |
|---|---|
| 6GB + 128GB | ₹32,999* |
| 8GB + 128GB | ₹40,999 |
| 8GB + 256GB | ₹45,999 |
| 12GB + 256GB | ₹46,999 |
The 8GB + 128GB variant gets a ₹4,000 bank offer, while the higher-storage variants are also eligible for a ₹4,000 bank offer.
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro Offers
The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro is available with a ₹4,500 bank offer along with a ₹500 exchange bonus on the listed variants.
| Variant | Effective Price |
|---|---|
| 8GB + 128GB | ₹49,999 |
| 8GB + 256GB | ₹52,999 |
| 12GB + 256GB | ₹54,999 |
The 8GB + 128GB model brings the effective price down to ₹49,999 after the applicable offers.
Nothing Phone (4b) Offers
The Nothing Phone (4b) gets a ₹4,000 price drop on the 6GB + 128GB variant. With the applicable bank offer, coupon and exchange benefits, the effective price is listed at ₹27,999.
| Variant | Effective Price |
|---|---|
| 6GB + 128GB | ₹27,999* |
| 8GB + 128GB | ₹35,999 |
| 8GB + 256GB | ₹36,999 |
The 8GB variants receive a ₹3,500 bank offer along with a ₹500 exchange bonus.
Nothing BBD Offers at a Glance
The headline effective prices for the three phones are:
- Nothing Phone (4b): ₹27,999
- Nothing Phone (4a): ₹32,999
- Nothing Phone (4a) Pro: ₹49,999
The final price for the base variants depends on the applicable combination of bank offers, coupons and exchange bonuses. Buyers should check the offer terms on Flipkart before placing an order.
Nothing Phone BBD Pricing Table
| Model | Base Variant | Effective Price* |
|---|---|---|
| Phone (4b) | 6GB + 128GB | ₹27,999 |
| Phone (4a) | 6GB + 128GB | ₹32,999 |
| Phone (4a) Pro | 8GB + 128GB | ₹49,999 |
*Effective prices for the base variants reflect the combined applicable bank offers, coupons and exchange bonuses.
These offers make the upcoming Flipkart Big Billion Days sale particularly relevant for buyers looking at Nothing’s latest smartphone lineup.
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Kea: Button Remapper has received a major update that brings a new Floating App Sidebar, Action Combos, more customization options and several new features for Android users.
The update also brings a redesigned user interface with improved animations, blur effects and a cleaner overall look. While Kea remains available as a free app, some of the new features are available through the paid Kea Pro version.
Floating App Sidebar
One of the main additions in the update is the new Floating App Sidebar. It allows users to pin their favorite apps and actions and quickly access them from anywhere on the phone.
Users can add apps such as YouTube, Instagram, Gmail, games, and more, as well as actions, to the sidebar. The sidebar also supports customization for its position, number of rows and columns, background, icon style, and accent color.
The background can be changed between transparent, translucent and solid styles. Users can also choose different icon styles and customize the sidebar’s color using the available color options and color wheel.
Action Lab Combos
Another new feature is Action Lab Combos. It allows users to perform multiple actions with a single button press.
For example, users can create a shortcut that mutes media volume and enables Do Not Disturb at the same time. This can be useful during meetings when multiple settings need to be changed quickly.
Users can also create their own custom combos by selecting multiple actions and arranging them into a sequence.
Voice and Call Recording
Kea Pro also adds shortcuts for voice recording and call recording using the Nothing Recorder widget.
After setting up the required Recorder widget, users can assign a button press to start or stop recording. Saved recordings can then be accessed through the Nothing Recorder app.
More Customization
The update brings several new options for Kea’s visual overlays. Users can choose different styles, including Dark, Frosted and Smoke themes.
There are also different animation effects, while the position of the overlay can be adjusted for different hardware keys. Kea Pro users can further customize the accent color and use a color wheel for more control over the appearance.
More Features for Nothing Phones
Kea Pro also includes several features designed for Nothing Phone users. These include Glyph Torch and Glyph Timer shortcuts.
Users can assign these features to different button gestures. The app also supports shortcuts such as Circle to Search, QR code scanning and additional hardware button actions.
The app also supports volume button mapping and power button customization, giving users more ways to control different actions using physical buttons.
Free Version Still Available
Kea: Button Remapper continues to offer a free version with more than 30 actions and support for four different button gestures. The free version also includes features such as visual overlays, lock screen controls and a Quick Settings tile.
The Floating App Sidebar, Action Combos, volume button mapping, voice and call recording, Glyph shortcuts and other additional features are available with Kea Pro.
Kea Pro is offered as a one-time lifetime purchase, giving users permanent access to the Pro features after purchasing it.
Here is the app link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.techiboystudios.kea
The latest update also significantly refreshes the Kea interface. TechiBoy Studios will bring more features that are planned for future updates, so the list of available features is expected to grow over time.
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Nothing has started rolling out the Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta based on Android 17 for the Nothing Phone (4a). The update brings a major visual refresh along with new Glyph features, customization options, camera improvements, and several system-level enhancements.
The update is rolling out with a download size of approximately 2.77GB.
Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta: What’s New?
New Glyph App
Nothing has introduced a dedicated Glyph app, providing a central place to explore and interact with Glyph-related features.
Redesigned Quick Settings and Notifications
Nothing OS 5.0 introduces a new separation between Quick Settings and notifications, making the two areas more distinct.
The update also adds a new three-colour status bar indicator for improved activity visibility.
Home Screen and Lock Screen Improvements
The update brings several new customization options, including:
- Bulk home-screen icon arrangement
- Lock screen clock colour customization
- New lock screen clock face
- Improved lock screen shortcuts
- New wallpaper style
- Depth wallpaper improvements, including pinch-to-shrink functionality
New Glyph Widgets
Nothing is also expanding its Glyph widget lineup with:
- Collector
- Away Time
- Glyph Timer
These widgets add new ways to interact with Nothing’s Glyph ecosystem directly from the home screen.
Camera Improvements
Nothing OS 5.0 also includes several camera-related improvements. These cover dual video recording, zoom, close-up photography, QR scanning, Google Lens and Motion Photos, along with a refreshed Camera UI.
Visual and System Changes
The update brings a number of broader UI changes, including:
- Expanded Dark Theme
- Enhanced HDR brightness
- Refreshed Settings UI
- Geist typeface
- Improved system animations
- Improved Live Updates
- Noto 3D Emoji support in Gboard
- Torch brightness control from quick settings
- Stopwatch timer at status bar
Connectivity Improvements
Nothing has also added one-tap Bluetooth connect/disconnect controls, making it easier to manage Bluetooth devices.