Nothing has opened its Android 17-based OS 5.0 beta to three more devices: the Phone 4a, Phone 3a Pro, and Phone 3a. The update brings a visual overhaul with a new Geist typeface, redesigned Settings and Camera apps, split notification panels, transparent widgets, and more customization options. Users have only one week to enroll before the beta window closes, after which they must wait for the stable release expected in early November.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-22
Google has published details on how it designed its new Noto 3D emoji set, first unveiled at I/O in May, and confirmed which manufacturers will bring it to their phones. Partners include Nothing, Lenovo, Xiaomi, OPPO, OnePlus, realme, vivo, iQOO, HONOR, TECNO, Infinix, itel, and Motorola, alongside stock Android 17 devices like the Pixel 11. Samsung is notably absent, as it maintains its own emoji designs.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-17
In a Reddit AMA, Nothing CEO Carl Pei addressed criticism over the Phone 2's software support and monetization practices. He confirmed the Phone 2 will stop receiving major Android updates after Android 16, saying its aging chipset and kernel can't support Android 17, but insisted the company met its original promise of three major OS updates. Pei also conceded that pre-installed apps and games on Nothing devices have gone too far and need rebalancing.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-07
Nothing has revealed early plans for Nothing OS 5.1, a minor update that will let users remap the Essential Key found on some of its phones, currently tied to the Essential Space app. The company also confirmed it's beginning work on a larger Nothing OS 6.0 release planned for 2027, while Nothing OS 5.0 remains in beta on the Phone 3 ahead of a stable rollout expected in mid-October.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-04
Nothing has unveiled Nothing OS 5.0, a major redesign of its Android skin built on Android 17, featuring a new Geist typeface, translucent UI layering, wallpaper-based adaptive theming, and dedicated apps for the Glyph Interface and Essential Apps Builder. Open Beta testing begins for the Nothing Phone 3 tomorrow, with a stable release planned for mid-October, but the Phone 1, Phone 2, and CMF Phone 1 will not get the update.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-25
Nothing has unveiled OS 5.0, built on Android 17, introducing adaptive color tints for icons and widgets that pull hues from the user's wallpaper while keeping the brand's monochrome look intact. The update also bundles a standalone Glyph Interface app centralizing lighting controls, plus new lockscreen clockfaces and homescreen customization tools.
theverge.com
· 2026-08-25