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.
Nothing has started rolling out the new Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta 2 update for its latest devices — the Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro. The update size is around 55.44 MB and focuses mainly on bug fixes and performance improvements rather than introducing new features.
According to a post on the Nothing Community forum, the update improves camera preview accuracy. Now, photos taken at certain zoom levels will more closely match what users see in the viewfinder. This helps ensure more accurate photo results.
In addition, the stability of Essential Apps has been optimized for a smoother experience. Many users had reported high memory usage notifications earlier — Nothing claims to have addressed this issue with the latest update.
However, there are no new features added in this beta version. Users can expect bigger visual changes, including new status bar icons, in the upcoming stable Nothing OS 4.0 update, which is expected to arrive by the end of November 2025.
After installation, users reported that the phone performs normally with no connectivity or performance issues. Features like calling, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth continue to work smoothly.
Nothing fans are now eagerly waiting for the Nothing OS 4.0 stable release, hoping for more visual changes and added functionality in the next update.
If you’ve ever admired the Liquid Glass Dock Bar look on iPhones and wished to get the same on your Nothing Phone, here’s some good news — you can now do it easily using the Dock Walls app.
Dock Walls App – Play Store
This app lets you add a smooth, transparent dock background behind your apps, giving your home screen a clean and modern iPhone-like appearance. It works perfectly on Nothing Phone (1), Phone (2), Phone (2a), Phone (3), Phone (3a) Series & CMF Phones, and even other Android smartphones.
You don’t need to root your device or install a custom launcher — just download Dock Walls from the Play Store, enable the dock wallpaper, and adjust the transparency and color to your liking.
With this quick setup, your Nothing Phone will instantly get that Liquid Glass floating dock effect — sleek, minimal, and beautiful.
Nothing has officially unveiled its new smartphone — the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite. The company posted the launch details around 6:30 PM, revealing a brand-new design and some interesting features. As the name suggests, this is the “Lite” version of the Nothing Phone (3a), but the design and hardware are quite different.
Design & Build
The Nothing Phone (3a) Lite comes in two colors – Black and White, featuring a triple-camera setup at the back. The overall rear design is completely new, looking somewhat similar to the CMF Phone 2 Pro in terms of the camera layout. The phone includes a single LED Glyph light, unlike the multiple LED strips seen on the higher-end models. The back panel appears to have a glass finish, giving it a premium look.
Display
The phone sports a 6.77-inch flexible AMOLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and 3000 nits of peak brightness, offering the same quality as the CMF Phone 2 Pro display.
Performance
Under the hood, the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro chipset, the same processor used in the CMF Phone 2 Pro. It runs on Nothing OS 3.5, based on Android 15.
Camera
The device features a 50MP main sensor with EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization), but no OIS. It also includes an 8MP ultra-wide lens and a 2MP macro sensor. On the front, there’s a 16MP selfie camera.
Battery & Charging
The phone packs a 5000mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. However, no charger is included in the box — users will only get the phone, a case, a charging cable, and documentation.
Storage Options
Two variants will be available:
- 8GB RAM + 128GB storage
- 8GB RAM + 256GB storage
The storage type is UFS 2.2, and it also supports microSD card expansion up to 2TB.
Software & Updates
Nothing promises 3 major Android updates and 6 years of security patches. The device also comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor and IP54 water and dust resistance.
Pricing & Availability
Currently, the pricing is only revealed in Euros, with no official information about the India launch yet. Based on conversions, the phone could be priced between Rs 19,000 to Rs 21,000 in India, sitting between the Nothing Phone (3a) and CMF Phone 2 Pro in the lineup.