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Nothing has begun the stable rollout of Nothing OS 4.0, its Android 16-based update for the Phone (2) family. After an initial phased release, the new firmware is now widely available for Nothing Phone (2), Phone (2a), and Phone (2a) Plus. If you own one of these devices, back up photos, contacts and call logs before updating to avoid any surprises.
What you get with Nothing OS 4.0
The update brings a tidy mix of productivity tweaks, fresh visuals and community-driven features. Firmware builds differ by model: Phone (2) gets B4.0-251119-1654, Phone (2a) ships with B4.0-251120-1747, and Phone (2a) Plus receives B4.0-251120-1812. Expect a short initial indexing period after installation as apps and services optimise.
Key interface improvements include the ability to hide apps directly from the home screen and app drawer, with a central Hidden icons area to manage them. Search in the app drawer is smarter too, letting users control the search scope so results are more relevant. Widgets for Weather, Pedometer and Screen Time now come in more size options, and many Quick Settings tiles support a 2×2 layout for denser control panels.
Playground Alpha and community tools
One of the headline additions is Playground (Alpha), a hub for community-built content like Essential Apps, Camera Presets and EQ Profiles. Essential Apps are available to download as lightweight tools that use community-created AI features. Think of it as a curated sandbox where creators share small utilities and audio/visual presets tailored for Nothing phones.
Visual polish and customization
Design changes are subtle but noticeable. App icons have been redesigned for improved clarity, status bar icons are sharper, and the lock screen password page introduces a wallpaper blur effect for better focus. Customisation now offers two additional lock screen clock faces and a new extra dark mode for a deeper black interface. Transition animations have been smoothed in places for a more fluid feel.
Camera, Glyph and performance upgrades
The camera app adds new preset styles, filters with intensity sliders, longer Motion Photos that include audio, fresh watermark options and a cleaner layout. Glyph Interface controls now let users choose whether Flip to Glyph switches the phone to Silent or Vibrate mode. Glyph Progress integrates with Android 16 Live Update notifications, improving compatibility with third-party apps.
Under the hood, Nothing added an app optimisation setting aimed at faster app startup times. Pop-up view can now hold two floating icons for quicker switching between apps. Users may notice a brief warmth after installing the update while the system completes background tasks; this should subside as services stabilise.
If you prefer to wait, the OTA rollout is staged and may reach different regions at different times. For those ready to install now, double-check your backups and ensure you have sufficient battery or a charger handy during the update.
Source: gizmochina
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