Nothing Technology has begun rolling out its latest operating system, Nothing OS 4.0, which significantly enhances the brand’s distinctive rear Glyph interface and integrates new artificial intelligence features.
The update focuses on leveraging the phone’s unique hardware and software, with a particular emphasis on real-time notifications. These “Live Updates” for events such as deliveries, rides, or timers can now be displayed directly on the Glyph’s LED matrix on the phone’s rear.
On the Nothing Phone 3, this functionality manifests as an animated progress bar on a dot matrix display. For older Nothing phone models, the lights count up or down to indicate progress.
Nothing OS 4.0, which the company states is based on Android 16, also introduces “Essential Apps.” These are AI-generated mini-applications or widgets created by the system based on user descriptions. A new AI Dashboard has been added to monitor when artificial intelligence is in use on the device.
The operating system update brings a comprehensive visual redesign. Nothing’s proprietary app icons have been restyled for a minimalist look, and status bar icons are now simpler and more cohesive. Users will find new clock styles for the lock screen.
System animations are smoother, and the overall interaction experience, including gestures and touches, features more refined haptic feedback. A new “Extra Dark Mode” provides deeper blacks for improved contrast and aims to reduce power consumption.
Multitasking has been enhanced, with the “Pop-up View” now supporting two floating windows simultaneously. Widget options have expanded to include 1×1 and 2×1 layouts for applications like Weather, Pedometer, and Screen Time. Users can also hide app icons from the App Drawer, accessing them via search.
Specific features for the Nothing Phone 3 include “Pocket Mode,” which automatically deactivates the Glyph dot matrix when the phone is in a pocket, conserving energy. The “Flip to Glyph” function now allows users to choose between vibration or silent mode when the device is flipped over. New “Glyph Toys” such as “Hourglass” and “Lunar Cycle” visualizations have also been added to the Glyph interface.
Performance optimizations in Nothing OS 4.0 target faster application startup times. Improvements have also been made to gestures, transitions, and visual responses for a more fluid user experience.