Nothing has been testing an updated version of its proprietary operating system since last December, and the vastly improved user interface is now finally rolling out to Nothing Phone 1 users around the world.
Nothing OS 1.5 – which is based on Android 13 – greatly enhances the security, app library, visual appearance and most importantly the overall performance of the phone to bring the Nothing Phone 1 one step closer to the best phones. To get it, go to Settings on your device and then click System update.
From a speed standpoint, Nothing says its new operating system will reduce app load times by up to 50% and grant the Nothing Phone 1 the ability to “self-heal” by automatically wiping unused cache memory and expired system dumps.
The Camera app interface has also been refined, and Nothing has added a new QR code scanner, Personal Safety app, and more glyph ringtones and notification tones. You can now create lock screen shortcuts for camera, flashlight, device controls, and wallet, and close active background apps right from the notification center to save battery.
Watch Nothing OS 1.5 in action via the company’s announcement tweet:
Let’s go. The official rollout of Nothing OS 1.5 has begun. Powered by Android 13 for our smoothest and most secure user experience. To update phone (1), go to Settings > System update. Learn more: https://t.co/qfnlBmEDxu pic.twitter.com/ATlYAzfz5b21. February 2023
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Visually, Nothing OS 1.5 brings a new look for media controls (album covers are shown with a wider set of music controls), and you can adjust the volume controls without unlocking the phone’s screen. A live subtitles feature has also been added, and nothing says you’ll experience smoother animations as you toggle the display between on and off.
You can see the full list of updates on Nothing’s website (opens in a new tab), but in short, Nothing OS 1.5 is big news for new and potential Nothing Phone 1 owners. In our Nothing Phone 1 review we said that “there are indications of work to be done regarding [the phone’s] Stability,” but this OS update appears to address at least some of those concerns.
Once we’ve spent more time playing around with Nothing OS 1.5 ourselves, we’ll be able to make a proper judgment of its importance – but this is undoubtedly a step in the right direction for a brand with an exciting future.
