After weeks of beta testing, Nothing is the latest name to join the stable Android 15 rollout bandwagon. In a community update today, the company announced the wide release of Nothing OS 3.0 based on Android 15 for its relatively slim smartphone portfolio.
The first devices to get the update are the Nothing Phone 2 and Nothing Phone 2a, both of which are slated to get the over-the-air (OTA) update in a phased format throughout December. Next in line are the Nothing Phone 1, Nothing Phone 2a Plus, and CMF Phone 1, which are scheduled to receive the OS upgrade early next year.
The update, most notably, introduces a refreshed Gallery app, which is now available to download from the Play Store. It serves up a clean interface, a better media search experience, and a set of new editing tools.
Nothing OS 3.0 also introduces a cool new customization trick that lets users share their widgets and react to them. There’s a new countdown widget, which borrows from Nothing’s signature design aesthetics and works for alerts and upcoming calendar entries.
Talking about brand strengths, Nothing is also adding a fresh batch of fonts for versatile typography, complete with updated legibility controls. The Quick Settings dashboard is being treated with deeper widget size controls and fresh layouts.
The widget-sharing facility, however, will only be limited to Nothing smartphone users. So far, only photo widgets allow sharing, but more widgets will added io the mix down the road. The countdown widget, on the other hand, will be available as a standalone download from the Play Store in the coming days.
Of course, it’s 2024, so AI is part of the package, as well. In Nothing’s case, the company has baked some AI smarts into the app drawer, which can now automatically sort apps for ease of access. There’s a new “Smart” auto-categorization system, which slots apps across bundles such as Travel, Health & Fitness, and Social, among others.
Users will also be greeted with a more customizable lock screen experience, which is always welcome. Nothing says it also improved the pop-up view and has made performance tweaks to improve UX fluidity.
