After releasing the stable Nothing OS 5.0 update for the Nothing Phone 3 earlier this month, Nothing has now expanded the rollout to more devices ahead of schedule. The Android 17-based Nothing OS 5.0 update is now rolling out for the Nothing Phone 4a, Phone 4a Pro, Phone 3a, and Phone 3a Pro.
According to the official rollout timeline, these devices were originally scheduled to receive the stable update in early November. However, Nothing has started rolling out the update a little earlier than expected.
The stable Nothing OS 5.0 update for the Nothing Phone 4a carries build number C5.0-261023-2145, while the Phone 4a Pro is receiving the update with build number C5.0-261021-1625. Meanwhile, the update for the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro comes with build number C5.0-261023-2146.
Nothing OS 5.0 is a major update that brings not only the latest Android 17 features and improvements but also several exclusive Nothing OS features. Here’s the complete list of new features and changes included in the latest Nothing OS 5.0 update.
New Features
- Introduced the Glyph app, designed specifically for the Glyph Interface, offering quicker access and a refreshed interactive experience. Find it in the app drawer.
- Quick Settings and the notification panel now support split, giving you a cleaner layout and easier access. Enable it in Settings > Notifications > General > Notifications and Quick Settings.
- Arranging home screen icons in bulk is now available. Try it out via long-pressing the home screen and tapping on “Arrange.”
- Introduced a new three-colour status bar indicator for scenes of sensitive access, location, AI processing, letting you know device activity instantly.
Visual Enhancements
- Introduced the new Translucent theme for Launcher, featuring an elegant frosted-glass style and subtle accent colours inspired by the wallpaper. Set it up in Customisation > Theme & Style > Translucent.
- Lock screen customisation now supports setting up a colour for your clock face.
- Added two new lock screen clock faces.
- Updated the wallpaper gallery with a new style wallpaper.
- Refined the status bar icons with a clearer and more consistent style and subtle animations.
- Refined the system design with the newly introduced Geist typeface and refreshed the Settings UI for clearer readability and a more cohesive look.
- Improved interactions and transition animations across various scenarios for a more fluid experience.
Fresh Widgets
- Introduced Collector widgets, a playful new way to turn your photos into different-style decorations on your home screen.
- Away Time widgets are now available, effortlessly tracking your time away from the screen to help you gain better insights into your daily habits.
- Glyph Timer is now supported in the widget drawer, offering you a handy interaction on your home screen.
Camera Enhancements
- Added Dual-view Video to record with the front and rear cameras simultaneously.
- Improved recording, zoom, close-up shooting, QR scanning, Google Lens, and Motion Photo playback.
- Refreshed the Camera UI, controls, feedback, and animations.
General Improvements and Bug Fixes
- Expanded Dark theme is now available, automatically applying the Dark theme to most apps that don’t support it natively. Adjust it anytime in Settings > Display > Dark theme > Use Expanded Dark theme.
- Enhanced HDR brightness is now available, allowing you to customize HDR intensity for a comfortable viewing experience. Set it up in Settings > Display > Enhanced HDR brightness.
- Depth (Beta) wallpapers now support pinching to shrink, giving more flexibility for your operation.
- Refined Live Updates with an enhanced status bar experience for ongoing activities.
- Introduced Noto 3D Emoji in Gboard for a more vivid look and expression.
- Essential Voice transcriptions now appear faster with reduced latency.
- Improved interaction with the lock screen shortcuts for a more natural experience.
- The Bluetooth in Quick Settings now supports instant connection or disconnection with a single tap of the device icon.
As usual, the Nothing OS 5.0 update is rolling out in stages. This means that although the rollout has already begun for the mentioned devices, it may take a few weeks to reach all users.
If you own a Nothing Phone 4a, Phone 4a Pro, Phone 3a, or Phone 3a Pro, you can manually check for the update in the System settings.
Once the stable Nothing OS 5.0 update becomes available for your device, make sure to back up your important data before installing it, just in case.
- Here’s when your Nothing phone will get Android 17 and Nothing OS 5.0
- Nothing OS 5.0: All The New Features Available in Nothing’s Newest Skin
- List of Nothing Phones Eligible for Android 17 (Nothing OS 5.0) update
- Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta Goes Live for Phone 2a and 2a Plus
- Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta Goes Live for Phone 3a, 3a Pro, and Phone 4a
- Nothing Phone 4a Pro Gets Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta
