Nothing OS 4.0 Beta on Phone (3a) Series - Lock Glimpse & Future Plans

Akis · 2025-10-24T17:20:00+00:00

![](https://cdn.nothing.community/2025-10-24/1761326648-151450-glimpse.jpg "banner") Hi everyone, Today, we rolled out the Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta for the Phone (3a) Series, which included Lock Glimpse and sparked a lot of questions. We had planned to cover this next week as part of a new product announcement, but we wanted to address it now to be transparent and provide you with the full context. Building Nothing from the ground up hasn’t been easy. We are the only smartphone brand in the last decade that has successfully launched, scaled and developed full end-to-end capabilities. This is no small feat in a market defined by high entry barriers, from massive capital requirements and complex supply chains to intense competition. One of the biggest challenges for any new entrant is managing the BOM (Bill of Materials) cost, which is higher than that of established players. On top of this, most brands also have software-based revenue streams, the most straightforward being pre-installed partner apps and services. This is a common approach across the industry, including for established brands like Samsung. For us, this means operating on razor-thin margins and making careful, deliberate choices for every aspect of the product while still delivering an optimal user experience. As we continue investing in hardware and software innovation as well as sustaining our growth, we need to explore sustainable revenue models to avoid passing costs and ensuring optimal pricings for our products - especially for entry- and mid-segment products. Moving forward, on select non-flagship devices, we’ll start including a carefully considered selection of third-party partner apps and services that don’t disrupt the Nothing OS experience you love. These are apps most people install on day one, like Instagram. They’re not random - we’re working with popular platforms many of you already use daily, and in some cases, these integrations can even enhance performance or provide tighter experiences, such as improved camera or sharing features. As part of this we have a new feature called Lock Glimpse being tested in the Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta on the Phone (3a) Series. Lock Glimpse brings fresh, high-quality wallpapers to your lock screen, curated to your taste across nine categories. It can also surface timely updates and useful content, designed to enhance your experience, not distract you. A few important details: * On Phone (3a) Series, Lock Glimpse is off by default. * You can enable it anytime in Settings, or access it only by swiping left from your lock screen. * You can customize wallpaper categories, refresh anytime, or disable it completely. * In future updates, you’ll be able to use your own photos, replacing standard wallpapers entirely and making every unlock uniquely yours. * If you choose to turn it on, no personal data is shared. This is standard across the industry, but we’ll always do it the Nothing way - redesigning each element and integrating them into Nothing OS in the most optimal way (default designs look terrible…) - while keeping everything completely under your control, giving you the ability to remove things or turn features on and off as you wish. What’s not changing: our focus remains on delivering the best possible user experience while taking the steps needed to achieve our ambitions. We’ll always: * Keep partner apps minimal and easy to remove * Be upfront about what’s pre-installed and why * Give you full control over features like Lock Glimpse We’d rather be open and transparent about this change and hear your feedback and suggestions. We’ll keep you posted on any new developments regarding third-party apps and services. Thanks Akis **[ UPDATE ] - 30 OCT** Yesterday, we launched Phone (3a) Lite, the first entry-level smartphone from Nothing. As mentioned above, we want to remain open and transparent about the inclusion of third-party apps and services in Nothing OS, and we welcome your feedback and suggestions regarding this change. Continuing on that, we’ve made some new developments regarding third-party apps and services and have begun including a carefully selected range of third-party partner apps and app recommendation services in Phone (3a) Lite. These are some of the most widely used apps globally , the ones most users tend to install on day one. 1. TikTok - EU , UK and Japan 2. Instagram - All Regions ( except Japan ) 3. Facebook - All Regions ( except Japan ) Because these apps come pre-installed, they offer : * Faster startup: These apps launch 50 to 100 milliseconds quicker. * Smarter background performance: App background retention is optimized, so when you switch back to Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok, they resume exactly where you left off without reloading. * Better power efficiency: These apps are optimized for power efficiency, helping extend your device’s battery life by reducing power consumption. * Seamless camera access: Using the camera within these apps is smoother, providing a more fluid shooting experience and reducing the chance of lag or crashes. And importantly, you still retain full control. If you choose to, all three apps can be uninstalled at any time. Additionally, some community members have raised concerns about the Meta App Installer, Meta App Manager, and Meta Service. These apps are designed to ensure that pre-installed apps are updated to their latest versions in a timely manner and to maintain their stability. If users wish to disable them, they can do so by navigating to: Settings App > All apps > Tap the icon in the top-right corner > Select “Show system” > Find the Meta apps > Select the “disable” button. However, we recommend not disabling these apps if you intend to use the pre-installed apps, as they are essential for ensuring the stability and proper functioning of those apps. ‎ We are also introducing recommendation services which essentially recommend apps that are curated to enhance the initial setup experience for users by helping them quickly discover essential utility and social apps, rather than searching for and downloading each one individually from the Play Store. A few important details: * It’s only visible during the initial phone setup or when the phone is reactivated after a factory reset. Once the setup is complete, there are no more app suggestions during daily use. * Users have full control over it — you can choose to skip and not download any of the recommended apps. * The recommended apps are verified by a trusted partner, eliminating the risk of malware or low-quality software. If users wish to disable this feature , they can do so by navigating to: Settings App > All apps > Tap the icon in the top-right corner > Select “Show system” > Find “App services” > Select the “disable” button. ‎ **[ UPDATE ] 3 NOV** Hi everyone, Following your feedback and suggestions, we’ve been working on making pre-installed services more flexible and within your control. Starting later this month, you’ll be able to completely remove Meta App Installer, Meta App Manager, and Meta Services from your device. Previously, these could only be disabled. While we recommended keeping them active for better stability of pre-installed apps like Instagram or Facebook, we understand that some users prefer full control over what stays on their device. We’re aiming to roll this out by the end of the month and will confirm once it’s live. Thank you for your continued feedback. It helps us keep improving while staying true to our promise of openness and user choice. Akis

Anonymous903

Gelo Basically Facebook found a way to link your private browser sessions to your account if you had fb or insta installed. They did nothing for a long time until this issue was publicly revealed, and on that exact day removed the code for it

Amudhan_Sundararajan

Ant-e-so-shial Bruh, are you for real? You’ve completely missed the point of why people are upset.
The Price We Paid for This Experience
This isn’t about people suddenly changing their mind on minimalism. It’s about a broken value proposition.
People didn’t just choose Nothing for fun.. we chose it despite the fact that it was pricier for its specs compared to the competition. Why? Because we were paying more for the “bloatware-free, clean UI” experience.

We Sacrificed Specs: We looked past phones that offered better RAM (LPDDR5X), better batteries, or faster chips for less money.
We Sacrificed Features: Remember when Nothing refused to pre-install Netflix, costing us HDR support? We swallowed that loss because we trusted their commitment to a pure experience.

Now, suddenly, they are moving to add Glimpse and talking about pre-installing Facebook and Instagram? That’s not a minimal choice, that’s a massive shift in strategy.
The same “fanboys” who defended Nothing by saying “you paid more for the experience” are now defending the removal of that experience? grow a spine for God sake, you’re a customer and you paid for this.
If Nothing is just going to push bloatware like everyone else, then what on earth is the point of buying an overpriced phone from them? Other brands pack in more on-paper specs and sell it cheaper.
We are not “dramatic” or “noisy” we are providing crucial feedback before the company loses its identity. If you genuinely love Nothing and their original vision, you’d be questioning this decision, not defending it. Grow a spine and hold them accountable, otherwise, they’ll become just another generic Android OEM, and no one will care when they go under.

AbiS_MjZL72iTVk

Ant-e-so-shial First of all you & Nothing dont have clear line of separation , if you want to be unique , you should be unique in all ways (not just unique in scarcity of features ) or if you are going to follow the standardized things in the industry , follow all the standard things like they compared themselves with samsung for justifying there addition of bloatwares (which Carl itself criticized samsung for having bloatwares in their mobile in a video on Nothing TV ) , if you compare yourself with samsung , samsung adds bloats , at the same the , they provide customers with plenty of options and features , but can nothing do that ?

First of all what you stand for ? You defended nothing all these days for having no features in the name of minimalism , now you are defending nothing for breaking the same toxic minimalism ?

Nothing should realise they can’t the fork and spoon at the same time

fahimhassan273339

Nothing should immediately add the feature to add our photos on the glance not ads .

qwezrd

Akis

I’m waiting for the next phone to have the MAX messenger, Yandex Browser, Facebook, and a bubble game.

AdithyaK_4gCBeBmMIV

Akis instead of focusing on ads…why don’t you focus on providing some real features in nothing os 4…you guys are literally saying that an ad show (lock glimpse) is a feature…like literally what? I understand that nothing is minimalistic but that doesn’t mean you guys won’t give any AI features to devices older than 3 series, and literally no meaningful change in OS 4 other than 2 clock faces. No camera improvements. Every nothing user is fed up of you at this point. Will nothing os just stay as a low effort customized android os?

ManjulSingh_0zp2B6umCV

This is not acceptable. I bought nothing over samsung just for clean experience but if I am going to get adds why would I not buy OnePlus or samsung for better ai and cameras. In next sale season I am going to throw this phone to trash and buy a better phone. I am not going to buy nothing products ever again.

DEEPAKS_hTu6NcG9ge

Akis thanks . This is my last series of nothing phone I will be moving to other phones which doesn’t include adds . I thought nothing would be different but u guys are proving this wrong again again thanks .

ArnoldMelvinXavier

DEEPAKS_hTu6NcG9ge not defending nothing or anything. As long as the switch remains off after update. As long as the uninstall button is not disabled, it’s not the end of the world. Even stock Android provider Motorola install additional apps during software update. If you don’t want them get rid of them as simple as that

Amudhan_Sundararajan

Ant-e-so-shial You are the one who’s acting numb and aggressively ignorant here. Let’s be clear: being given a “choice” to disable something that shouldn’t be there in the first place is not a favor; it’s a minimal concession.
You can’t just assume I didn’t buy it for bloatware free experience and call it “bull”. Other brands let you disable or remove bloatware, sometimes through hidden methods like ADB, which I’ve used on Xiaomi phones to clean them up. The problem isn’t that it’s impossible to remove; the problem is that it:

Takes up system space permanently, contributing to system image size.
Returns every time you factory reset the device.
Compromises the core brand promise of a “clean, bloat-free experience” which is a specific, established Identity that Nothing built its reputation on.

Your entire argument hinges on the baseless, insulting assumption that I and other Indian buyers are poor and have “no choice” but to buy a Nothing phone because we’re afraid of “cheap Chinese phones” but can’t afford iPhones or Samsungs.
You are completely out of touch with the market and the choices available:
I bought the Nothing Phone 3a pro (12/256 GB Varient) for ₹32,000.
At the same time, the Pixel 8a—an American brand often considered a flagship experience in a mid-range body was available for ₹30,000.

I chose Nothing over an objectively superior (or at least better-recognized) brand like the Pixel because of specific factors: the design, the unique Glyph, and yes, the promised clean software experience. That’s a preference, not a lack of options or a sacrifice. To claim I “had no choice” is arrogant, uninformed, and frankly, racist in its implication that people in India lack the knowledge or means to shop around.

Don’t lecture me on a company’s financial struggles. Every startup faces them. But when a company’s primary differentiator and competitive edge is its philosophy like “Identity,” “cleanliness,” and “user-focused design” sacrificing that for a quick cash grab is a failure of leadership and vision, not a necessary evil.
If they want to monetize with bloatware, that’s what the CMF by Nothing sub-brand is for! It’s the budget line where people have different expectations. Dumping this stuff on the core Nothing Phone line, the device that carries the company’s identity, is what rightly generated the strong feedback.
Your attempt to silence and belittle valid customer concerns based on where they live and what you assume their wallet looks like is just racist. Stop acting like a company mouthpiece and pretending customers should just be grateful to get a feature-crippled option to disable the junk they were sold specifically to avoid.

Ant-e-so-shial

Amudhan_Sundararajan Oh boy I’m well aware of Indian market and customers cause I am Indian and I sell mobile phones for living. I know what they look for when they buy phones. I am saying all that objectively cause that’s what I see everyday as a seller. I see on which criterias people choose and finally decide to buy a phone. I know why pixel phones are not sold even though they are available for lower prices.

Let me give you my two cents, People who can afford Samsung S series and Iphones just buy them. No second thoughts. Customers who cant afford them buy Samsung F, M series mostly, along with chinese brands. Younger and student/ techies decide on buying Nothing phones cause Samsung mid-range and chinese phones feel cheap when using, when they pick a Nothing phone, with the galss back and all they think its costly but when I tell them the price they are honestly shocked and go with it instantly. They never asked about bloatware bull. So you better not tell how to run businesses. If you don’t like anything there are lot of phones in the market go buy them. Even if you don’t I see a lot people daily buying them.

AbiS_MjZL72iTVk 👍

People in community think this is the world. Only we buy Nothing phones so only we matter. But you kids are out of touch with reality. A lot of people buy these IRL without asking about bloatware, OS update. So no matter how hard you cry and say “ I will not buy another Nothing Phone 😭” It doesn’t matter. Cause the world doesn’t revolve around you, and actual world is outside this online space.

Maggi Goreng

AbiS_MjZL72iTVk

Amudhan_Sundararajan

I totally agree with what you guys said. Personally, I chose Nothing mainly for its clean OS — of course, the unique phone design was also part of the appeal. But if Nothing ends up becoming just another brand packed with bloatware, I’d rather switch to a smaller Pixel with a better feel in the hand😅

AbiS_MjZL72iTVk

Ant-e-so-shial The audacity to defend inspite of anything seems horrible , Ig Nothing is for people just like you , fools who wont question anything , for faking promises , going opposite directions, this brand is perfect for you FOOL. Its turned of by default ? So you will only open your mouth until the time when they abruptly cut the choice of disabling it ?

@Amudhan_Sundararajan Right brother , even I bought the NP2 for 40k ,even when i had the options of Oneplus R series, and Samsung too , But I chose Nothing because of the Uniques.I even made 2 of my friends to buy Nothing suggesting it for Clean software experience.

This Antisocial Guy , seems to be a kid whose pre frontal cortex is still havent developed fully , poor guy

Amudhan_Sundararajan

Ant-e-so-shial Dude, your “expert” analysis is hilarious. Seriously, your entire worldview is stuck behind the counter of a random offline retail store, which is a rapidly shrinking, fundamentally skewed slice of the Indian market. You’re confusing the habits of the handful of people walking into your shop with the entire, massive, and increasingly online-driven customer base.
Let’s break this down because you’re completely missing the point:
You honestly think your little store dictates the market? Get real. The smart money, the informed purchases, the best deals… it all happens online. I literally just went through this: I advised my brother to buy online, he checked three local stores, only one even had a Nothing phone, and the price was a whopping ₹5000 higher than Flipkart. You’re selling to people who pay a premium for ignorance or immediate gratification.

You’re using the tired, frankly condescending trope that Indian customers are too uneducated to care about anything but the “glass back.” You say they “never asked about bloatware bull.” Of course they didn’t! The people who care about that, the enthusiasts, students, and techies are the ones doing their research and buying online. They chose Nothing because of the clean software. That’s the whole point, and every Indian tech YouTuber hypes and promotes based on that only.
You assume everyone is a simpleton, but let me tell you about myself: I’ve been customising and flashing ROMs since 2013 on phones like the LG E -400, Xperia Z1, Redmi note 10 pro and OnePlus 6. My choice of Nothing was 100% about minimal UI and the promise of a clean experience. If they break that promise with bloat, my alternative isn’t a cheap Samsung; it’s a Pixel 8a or me just flashing a custom ROM and ignoring their updates forever. Either way, Nothing loses a customer.

You have the audacity to say we can’t tell Nothing how to run their business, yet you don’t even grasp the basics of a Unique Selling Proposition (USP).

Nothing’s USP was “no-bloat, clean experience.”
When they push bloatware, they KILL their USP.
Once the software is trash, they have to compete directly on specs and price with every Chinese brand that offers better hardware for cheaper even the likes of pixel a series, Samsung S FE editions.

You are literally defending a move that will cause the product you sell to fail. You are celebrating a temporary sale based on a “glass back” while ignoring the long-term betrayal of the core fanbase that actually drives the hype. The world doesn’t revolve around your small-time sales floor.
You are working in sales and can’t even figure out basic business strategy. What a complete joke. 🤡🤡🤡

eessoonp3

Nothing is literally doing what it stood against for once. Guys, this is sabotaging everything you have done. This was the only thing that gave Nothing an upper hand over other brands and helped nothing make a name for them. Don’t shit on this. Well you guys should have stood upon your words. Having no ads and a bloatware free OS was the only thing that made you guys stand apart. Ahh, this is sad.

krizxjr

Akis

Good job guys, really great move to lose users.

If you guys are really planning to implement this BS even after this large of a backlash, then just go ahead and lose core users.

I’ll just stay behind on NOS 3.5.

Edit : I gotta add, Ignoring the very thing you guys aimed and what made this company unique was a stellar idea.

Carl gotta respond to this, by tagging the replies he did on X against bloatwares.

NeoSamurai

Akis Sorry to say this, But I am really dissatisfied with Nothing. I mean like who adversities something first and then does something else which is of topic ?? I mean like Nothing adversities that their OS is minimal and stuff. But Nothing decided to take the Xiaomi route. Really disappointed. I am now thinking of selling my NP3a and get an Oneplus.

Ibinu

Mod edit: no profanity

A let down that sure gonna unleash a bleak disillusionment and a realisation within for how this company set out to become an underdog in the Android realm to only crumble like ninepins.

And the audacity it still reflects in its self righteous “commitment” for non flagship users, force them with a substandard OS experience is where they have pretty much sealed their fate.

Azul1nk

Akis Hmm…

I have mixed feelings

4ki

Akis I am getting less interested in Nothing day by day. Thinking of switching to another brand next year.

Anonymous994

Looking forward to a video of Rob and Carl telling everyone how hard a decision it was to ok the addition of pre-installed apps and bloat to devices that were bought under the illusion that they would remain bloat-free.

Hell, they must have seen this coming from so far away that they probably pre-recorded it.

My best guess is they’ll likely walk-back the adding of bloat to existing devices, and try to win back some good will but then new “non-flagship” devices will get them by default.

insert gif of Obiwan shouting “You were supposed to destroy the Sith, not join them!”

AbiS_MjZL72iTVk

ArnoldMelvinXavier Did moto promise bloat free experience before buying the device and later adding bloats ?

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