Hi everyone!

We’ve released Open Beta 1 for Nothing OS 3.0 and had some feedback on the process. We love how passionate our users are and always listen when they take the time to share with us.

What’s happened?

Yesterday, 8 October, we invited everyone with a Phone (2a) to try out the beta version of Nothing OS 3.0. If you want to try it yourself, have a look here.

We also announced that access for Phone (2) will be in November and Phone (1) / Phone (2a) Plus / CMF Phone 1 in December.

Many of you have asked why we do this and why can’t we just do everything at once.

Here’s why

We are a young company – the only new one to successfully make phones in the last 10 years – with hungry and ambitious teams. This means we’re able to listen to your feedback and act on it directly. But it also means that we have a relatively smaller team than established brands developing and maintaining Nothing OS.

In turn, this means we have to make choices about how the teams do the work that’s needed to ensure we are maintaining the quality and pace of development we want. Staggering releases is a tried-and-tested method that even the biggest makers use (hello Samsung!) and it’s the one we’ve chosen as well. It allows us to gather the feedback we need to make adjustments and fixes that roll into the other devices in the portfolio.

Why Phone (2a) first?

A lot of people expected the Phone (2) to be the first device with access to the Nothing OS 3.0 beta. This was a fair expectation, and we are working toward that for the future. However, this time, we released the beta on the Phone (2a) first. Let me explain why.

To get the best feedback the fastest way, we’ve prioritised one of our newest and best-selling phones: Phone (2a). The Software team aim to use the larger sample size to collect the insight they need and then rapidly move to Phone (2) and close on Phone (1) / Phone (2a) Plus and CMF Phone 1.

Something you may not know is that we rely on our chipset partners for Android updates. Google provides the update to them, they ready and optimise it for their processors and then they provide it to us so we can implement it. We receive significant support from MediaTek in this process, allowing us to move more quickly on our products that use their SoC. So instead of holding it back to wait for the Phone (2) implementation, we wanted some of our users to start testing Nothing OS 3.0 beta as soon as possible. This allows us to begin collecting feedback and ensure we’re ready to start rolling out Nothing OS 3.0 public release by the end of the year.

We could do all the betas at the same time. But it would mean everyone waiting until January and further pushing out the full release. We talked about this option but rejected it as we felt you would prefer to try it as quickly as possible and, for us,  it would mean delaying vital feedback.

What’s next

While this is what’s happening today, it’s not the experience we want for tomorrow. We are listening to you, scaling our capabilities and updating our processes. We’ll let you know more when we’ve finalised the plans.

And I’m happy to announce that the final release of Nothing OS 3.0 will be on Phone (2) and Phone (2a) first, and at the same time.

    Related discussions

    That is a good response, i appreciate it

    From NP2

    Well explained! Didnt knew that mobile chipset is equally responsible for android updates!

    Nice explanation, maybe needed a bit sooner, would have saved the other NOS 3.0 thread from being filled with grumbling and unnecessary emotion..

    Apparently people wont understand this and still continue , I paid for flagship I want update first. lol.

    Only reason is “ Best Selling Device” To get the best feedback the fastest way, we’ve prioritised one of our newest and best-selling phones: Phone (2a). The Software team aim to use the larger sample size to collect the insight they need and then rapidly move to Phone (2) and close on Phone (1) / Phone (2a) Plus and CMF Phone 1.

    When can we expect a stable version for phone 1? January?

      Thanks for the transparency here, Justin.

      Nothing as a company is a breath of fresh air, and this update to show how decisions are made behind the curtain is very much appreciated.

      All the best to the software and wider team for the Beta rollout and the eventual stable release. Keep up the great work! 🔥

      This is a fantastic response and, speaks to Nothing’s advantages - their engagement with the community. Thanks for transparency and openness.

      I also think it’s great that Mediatek is supporting Nothing with the push towards Android 15, this speaks to the (potential) longevity of the chips and isn’t something that Mediatek was famed for in years gone by.

      Good all around, now I wait with my Phone(1) for the public beta 😜

        Justin This is the best and quickest response from a young team. It all makes sense now, and I’m so happy with the explanation.

        Coming from a gaming background, I’ve seen both AAA and indie developers take their time to release nearly perfect products, while others rush and miss the mark. The “Slow and Steady ALWAYS wins” mantra is crucial, especially with a new, revolutionary product. The smartphone industry is no different.

        Despite delays and eager fans, a nearly perfect end product is worth the wait. Rushing and frequent updates often lead to more bugs. I truly admire and appreciate the team’s dedication to providing the best experience. Whenever you launch, ensure people praise what you’ve achieved with a customer-first mindset.

          I’m proud of the NOTHING team. First the logical approach to software deployment, and now the literal PERFECT explanation to back up your actions.

          Been a fanboy since the beginning. I was perfectly justified. I dare anyone to convince me otherwise.