Nothing
Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro Get Nothing OS 4.1 August Update
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Nothing has started rolling out the Nothing OS 4.1 August update for the Nothing Phone (3a) and Nothing Phone (3a) Pro. The update is around 108 MB in size and mainly focuses on system improvements, bug fixes, and security.
What’s New
The August update brings several small improvements to the phones:
- Improved flashlight reliability: Nothing has improved the flashlight experience, especially when using it while recording.
- Home screen search fix: An issue where the search bar could disappear from the home screen has been fixed.
- Improved system stability: The update includes general stability improvements for a smoother experience.
- August 2026 security patch: Both phones are updated to the latest August security patch.
- SAR adjustment: The update also includes an adjustment related to SAR requirements.
The update is approximately 108 MB, so it is a relatively small update. It does not bring any major new features, but the included fixes should improve the overall experience.
Nothing is rolling out the update in phases, so availability may vary depending on the region and device. Users can check for the update by going to Settings > System > System Update.
The Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro continue to receive regular Nothing OS updates as Nothing works toward its upcoming Nothing OS 5.0 release.
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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.
News
Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta Now Available for Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro: Full Changelog and How to Join
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Nothing has started rolling out the Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta based on Android 17 for the Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro. The new beta introduces a refreshed visual design, new Glyph features, widgets, camera improvements, and several Android 17-related enhancements.
The update is available to users who register through the Nothing Beta Hub, provided their devices are running the required stable build.
The Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta update is 2.82GB in size.
Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta: What’s New?
New Features
New Glyph App: Nothing has introduced a dedicated Glyph app designed specifically for the Glyph Interface. It provides quicker access to Glyph-related features and a refreshed interactive experience. The app can be found on the home screen or in the app drawer.
Split Quick Settings and Notifications: Users can now separate the Quick Settings and notification panels for a cleaner layout. The option can be enabled from:
Settings > Notifications > General > Notification and quick settings
Bulk Home Screen Arrangement: You can now arrange multiple home screen icons at once by long-pressing the home screen and selecting Arrange.
New Status Bar Indicator: Nothing OS 5.0 introduces a three-colour status bar indicator for activities such as sensitive access, location and AI processing.
Visual Enhancements
The update also brings several visual changes across the system:
- Lock screen clock colour customization
- New lock screen clock face
- Updated wallpaper gallery with a new wallpaper style
- Refined status bar icons with subtle animations
- New Geist typeface
- Refreshed Settings UI
- Improved transitions and interactions across the system
New Widgets
Nothing has added several new widgets:
Collector Widgets: Turn your photos into different-style decorations on the home screen.
Away Time Widgets: Track the amount of time you spend away from your screen to provide insights into your daily habits.
Glyph Timer Widget: Glyph Timer is now available through the widget drawer, allowing users to interact with it directly from the home screen.
Camera Improvements
Nothing OS 5.0 also brings a major set of camera improvements.
Camera Tuning
A new Tuning feature offers seven adjustable effects, along with a reset option.
Improved Presets
Presets now offer easier editing, richer cards, Playground integration and a new 2×2 widget.
Video Improvements
Video creation now supports:
- Filters
- Tuning
- Dual-view Video
Nothing has also improved recording, zoom, close-up shooting, QR scanning, Google Lens and Motion Photo playback.
The Camera UI, controls, feedback and animations have also been refreshed.
General Improvements and Bug Fixes
The update includes several system-level improvements:
- Expanded Dark Theme: Automatically applies Dark Theme to most apps that don’t natively support it. It can be enabled through Settings > Display > Dark theme > Expanded.
- Enhanced HDR brightness: Allows users to adjust HDR intensity from Settings > Display > Enhanced HDR brightness.
- Depth (Beta) wallpapers: Users can now pinch to shrink Depth wallpapers.
- Refined Live Updates: Improved status bar experience for ongoing activities.
- Noto 3D Emoji: Added to Gboard.
- Lock screen shortcuts: Improved interaction for a more natural experience.
- Bluetooth Quick Settings: Tap the device icon to instantly connect or disconnect Bluetooth devices.
Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta Update Size
The update is 2.82GB, so users should make sure they have enough free storage and preferably download the update over Wi-Fi.
Nothing also notes that the device may temporarily heat up and consume more power during the update process. This should return to normal after the installation is complete.
Important: This is an Open Beta build, so users should back up important data, including photos, call logs and contacts, before upgrading.
How to Join Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta
If you own a Nothing Phone (3a) or Phone (3a) Pro and want to install the Android 17-based beta, follow these steps:
1. Update to the latest stable build
Make sure your phone is running the latest stable Nothing OS build before joining the beta.
2. Install Nothing Beta Hub
Download and install the latest Nothing Beta Hub V2.0 APK from your Downloads folder.
3. Open Nothing Beta Hub
Go to:
Settings > System > Nothing Beta Hub
4. Check the version
Tap Check Version.
5. Join the beta
Tap Join Beta to register for the Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta.
6. Download the update
Once your registration is complete and the Open Beta is available for your device, tap Go to Update.
If Go to Update doesn’t work, you can manually check for the update by going to:
Settings > System > System updates
Required Build Versions
Before joining the beta, the required build is:
Nothing Phone (3a) ProAsteroids-B4.1-260810-1153
Nothing Phone (3a)Asteroids-B4.1-260810-1153
The Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta brings Android 17 to the Phone (3a) series alongside a significant visual refresh, new Glyph experiences, additional widgets, camera upgrades and system improvements. Since this is still a beta release, users should expect further changes and additional features in future builds.