What you need to know
- Nothing announced that its OS 5.0 (Android 17) Open Beta is now welcoming the Phone 4a, 3a, and 3a Pro.
- Users may find an update ~2.8GB, loaded with new features for the camera, the a new system typeface, widgets, customization, AI, and more.
- The Phone 3 got into the Open Beta in August, and users with that phone should see a full release in mid-October.
Another new day means something to look forward to from Nothing OS. The company announced that it’s now rolling out the Open Beta of OS 5 to more phones.
Over on X, Nothing announced that it’s now accepting the Phone 4a, Phone 3a, and 3a Pro into the OS 5 Open Beta. Going by the company’s timeline, these phones are right on schedule, as it listed a “Late September” timeframe for the Open Beta. What’s more, testing should last for a little while. Nothing says these devices likely won’t see a general release until early November.
The folks at Android Authority swiped the changelog for the Open Beta. That is, for the Phone 3a. It states the update is ~2.8GB on the Phone 3a, so the size should be similar on the other two devices. Much of the changelog mirrors what Nothing released for the Phone 3 back in August. The Android 17 test brings a dedicated Glyph app for the Glyph Interface. While the Quick Settings and home screen app management get refreshed, Nothing is introducing a new “three-color status bar indicator.”
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This indicator is for “scenes of sensitive access,” location, AI processing, and more. Visual enhancements are rolling out across the board for Nothing’s phones, as are updates to its camera. Users will find Filters and Tuning support for video, alongside Dual-View for recordings.
Some users on X have said they’ve had difficulties with the Open Beta. Basically, it’s showing that there’s nothing to download. It might be worth waiting a while before attempting as the beta comes online for more users.
Testing continues, but launch is near
There was hype around the Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta for the Phone 3 back in August. This is the company’s major Android 17 update, and there was a lot to go over. A new system typeface (Geist), refreshed system icons, better adaptive colors for your wallpapers, and more. Since the Phone 3 got its Open Beta last month, Nothing said users should expect its stable release in mid-October.
Most phones are getting that two-month testing period to iron out any bugs before it his everyone’s device. In our hands-on, it was evident that Nothing was pushing ahead with a little more AI on Nothing OS 5.0. What’s more, the company is doing so with privacy at the forefront.